Daviot Kelly, Staff Reporter
Executive Director of the Jamaica Society for the Blind, Virginia Woods, receives a cheque from Glen Holden, former US ambassador to Jamaica Glen Holden.
THE AMERICAN Friends of Jamaica Inc. (AFJ), is still giving to this little island of ours.
The association held its 23rd annual Jamaica Charities, Scholarships and Bursaries Grants Awards luncheon at the U.S. Ambassador's residence on Long Lane in Stony Hill on Friday, April 22. The function was hosted by current Charge d'Affaires Thomas Tighe.
Former Ambassador Glen Holden, who it seems has never left since his tour ended, presided over the official part of the proceedings. He pointed out that this year's total, over US$763,000 was the largest ever sum. With his perennial sidekick Lacey Wright, they handed out the awards to 17 organisations.
RECIPIENTS
The organisations who benefited were varied. Health care facilities, educational centres and community associations all received donations. The charities were: Project Help Jamaica; Hanover Charities; Friends of Hopewell School; MoBay Hope Medical Centre; the University of the West Indies; Montego
Bay Marine Trust; Mustard Seed Communities; Ministry of Education; Social Support Fund; Jamaica Society for the Blind; Trench Town Development Association; Tools for Development; Bluefields People's Environmental Association; Mona Rehabilitation Centre; Jamaica Golf Association; Past Students' Association of Bull Savannah Primary School and the Foundation for International Self-Help.
The AFJ was started in 1982 and has provided donations in cash and kind for various Jamaican charities. The funds are raised by the AFJ's main event: a black-tie dinner in New York every autumn. However, this year, an additional charity dinner event will be held in Miami on June 25.
