Paul-Andre Walker, Staff Reporter
JAMAICA NETBALL Association (JNA) president, Marva Bernard, has been heartened by an outpouring of corporate support ahead of the Sunshine Girls' sojourn to the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne Australia next month.
GraceKennedy has joined the support group and has pledged to provide groceries for the Sunshine Girls until the games on March 17.
Spartan Gym has also authorised the Sunshine Girls to use their facilities free of charge in preparation for the games.
PROMISING
Apart from those two sponsorships, Bernard has indicated that her drive to attract more sponsors to the sport has been promising.
Bernard indicated that one of her main concerns is to finance monthly instalments to Independence Park Limited that came as a condition of being allowed to host England at the National Indoor Sports Complex recently.
The other dilemma still facing the JNA is the acquisition of beds. The institution was just made the recipient of a house in Mona for camps in preparation for tournaments. At present, that house is unfurnished.
While those problems still persist, Bernard has said she is grateful for what has already been afforded the JNA.
OTHER ISSUES
"I am very enthused about the outpouring of support that the JNA has been receiving. I am particularly heartened by the support from many of the older servants of netball," commented Bernard. "The grocery issue has been a real fillip for me but it is not the end of our needs."
Bernard was referring to requests she has made for sponsorships of gas for the JNA's bus that is used to transport girls across the island on an almost daily basis, and medication for her players.
The JNA has just not been asking for sponsorship though. They have also embarked on drives to earn funds to facilitate their programmes and will have their first fund-raising event in April.
