By Earl Moxam, Senior Gleaner WriterBREDS. IT looks and sounds like an acronym, but is in fact the name carefully chosen for the Treasure Beach foundation, a community charity developed by locals.
The name was coined from the word 'bredrin' (brethren) an expression commonly used by young men in the South Coast St. Elizabeth community as a form of greeting.
Jason Henzell, the operator of the famous Jake's and the driving force behind the BREDS Foundation, was so fascinated with the expression that he decided to use it as the official label for the organisation.
BREDS was in the national spotlight on December 5 - International Volunteers' Day when, led by United States Ambassador Sue Cobb and her husband, Charles Cobb, over 100 volunteers turned out to paint a new block constructed by the Foundation at the Sandy Bank Primary School in Treasure Beach, St. Elizabeth.
The $3.5 million project includes two new classrooms, a 40-station computer lab, a library and new bathrooms.
This project, according to Mr. Henzell, is in keeping with the objectives of the foundation, which he established in 1998 in collaboration with Peace Corps volunteer Aaron Laufer.
The aims, he said, were to promote education, sports, cultural heritage and environmental awareness in Treasure Beach.
In the five years since, a renewed spirit of volunteerism and community self-help has emerged in Treasure Beach.
Darin James, a director of the board of BREDS, spearheads the Treasure Beach (Emergency) Response Unit, created by the foundation purely as a volunteer group of First Aid workers.
The Response Unit, which recently celebrated its first anniversary, receives training and financial support from a group of doctors from the Bellevue Hospital in New York, which is headed by Dr. James Saddock.
The doctors recently held a fund-raiser in New York from which they raised US$12,000 to train more volunteers.
"They are also trying to source an ambulance for us, and about mid-year they will be looking to send a group of us to Romania for training to become emergency medical technicians," Mr. James told The Gleaner.
Treasure Beach, being first and foremost a fishing community, BREDS has focused much of its attention on the welfare of the fishermen. Donald Buchanan, the Member of Parliament for South West St. Elizabeth, was full of praise for its initiative to establish a wireless radio communication system for the fishermen.
CONTRIBUTION
"Jason Henzell came to me and I made an initial contribution out of my local development funds of $50,000 and the community worked with that to establish the system, which is now very useful to the fishermen," Mr. Buchanan said.
The foundation also recently initiated a scheme for fishermen who cannot afford to purchase their own boats. Four fishing boats have been acquired through Food for the Poor and each will be made available to a fishing crew for two years, in the first instance.
"During that period we will assess them -- they should be saving money towards purchasing a boat for themselves, so we can pass on the foundation's boat to another beneficiary," says Mr. James, who is co-ordinating that scheme.
Another project being pursued is the creation of a major sports and recreational park. BREDS approached the Member of Parliament with the idea, having identified the land for the project. Mr. Buchanan, the Minister of Water and Housing, embraced the idea and, acting through the Government, has since acquired the land on behalf of the community.
One of the most ambitious projects on the organisation's books -- the development of a physical development plan for the community -- is being pursued through the St. Elizabeth Parish Council, with assistance from a Canadian planner.
Daren James, a recent recipient of an award from United Way for International Volunteerism for 2003, said that the BREDS experience has given him a new perspective on community involvement and volunteerism.
"I feel a personal sense of accomplishment," he said. "I'm such a community-minded person that there is nothing I wouldn't do for my community, as long as it is legal. If I'm successful in that effort then ultimately I will reap the benefits as well."
Mr. Henzell credits June Pringle, his aunt and wife of former Tourism Minister Frank Pringle, for instilling in him a love for volunteerism.
"She has always been available to help persons less fortunate than herself," said Mr. Henzell.
"I remember as a small child helping her to build a tabernacle in a very poor community called Tryall in Montego Bay. And when people were sick they would come to her; when they had problems she would pray with them, and that had a huge influence on me."
