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Beecher Town charity group gives a decade of service

Published:Wednesday | August 12, 2020 | 12:23 AMCarl Gilchrist/Gleaner Writer
In this 2017 photograph, members of Beecher Town Give Back Association smile for the camera during a health fair in Beecher Town, St Ann. From left are: Fay Grocia, president; Audley Codner; Sidney Brown, treasurer; Blanche Rattigan-Cummings; Mornice Mille
In this 2017 photograph, members of Beecher Town Give Back Association smile for the camera during a health fair in Beecher Town, St Ann. From left are: Fay Grocia, president; Audley Codner; Sidney Brown, treasurer; Blanche Rattigan-Cummings; Mornice Miller and Norman Brown.

The Beecher Town Give Back Association (BTGBA) recently marked its 10th anniversary of serving the residents of Beecher Town, St Ann, in a subdued manner because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Usually a three-day event that would include a fun day, two days of free health services and focus on education, the event was restricted to the handing out of care packages to the residents.

The BTGBA consists of Beecher Town residents who have migrated to the United States and who have seen it fit to give back to their community. Their kindness goes beyond the boundary of Beecher Town, however, as folks from nearby communities such as Content, New Hope, Parry Town and Hinds Town, and even further afield, often benefit.

SHARE THE BLESSINGS

The association’s charity work over the years has drawn the attention of other organisations, as last year Courts Optical, the Social Development Commission, Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Heart Foundation, Cancer Society, St Ann Health Department, Brown’s Town Community Centre, among others, all turned out over two days to offer free service to residents.

“God has truly been good to the BTGBA. As we celebrate our 10-year anniversary, it’s only rewarding for us to share our blessings with our beloved residents of our home town, Beecher Town, especially during this COVID-19 pandemic,” Fay Grocia, president, told The Gleaner from the USA.

“Our mission (this year) is to provide a meal to 200 households in the Beecher Town, Content and New Hope areas.”

Norman Brown, the only board member who resides in Jamaica, told The Gleaner that the target of handing out 200 care packages was achieved and persons were delighted with the donation.

He described the decade of service by the BTGBA as “very, very good”.

“The Give Back Association is going on very well. We definitely targeted health and education, high school and basic schools; that’s the two levels we targeted and we’re doing well,” he said. “We also helped some other community members with different things, for example, we helped to rebuild a house that was burnt down, and we also helped the primary school.”