There were lots of smiles on Saturday, April 14, 2018, as hundreds of children, parents, teachers and support staff turned out for the inaugural Adopt-A-School fun day at the Mt. Joseph Primary School in Enfield District, St. Mary, Jamaica.
Cheryl Fletcher, founder and managing attorney at Fletcher Law Office teamed up with Sonia Henderson, President of Safe Haven, GB, a Florida non-profit organization, to bring backpacks, books, pencils, sharpeners and footwear to primary school kids in the rural district in the parish of St. Mary.
Cheryl Fletcher, founder and managing attorney at Fletcher Law Office teamed up with Sonia Henderson, President of Safe Haven, GB, a Florida non-profit organization, to bring backpacks, books, pencils, sharpeners and footwear to primary school kids in the rural district in the parish of St. Mary.
The idea for the community event was born after the two women, Fletcher and Henderson met randomly during a trip to a popular Caribbean grocery store in West Palm Beach, Florida. The two women grew to be friends as Fletcher appeared regularly as a guest speaker on Henderson’s radio show, Safe Haven.
Principal Dahlia Johnson applauded the two women for taking time out of their busy schedules in the United States to travel to Jamaica for the event. Johnson had this to say about the occasion, “Mt. Joseph Primary school needs some help and helping this school was one of the big ideas that came out of Fletcher’s and Henderson’s plans and we are very thankful for it.”
The children spent the day jumping in bounce houses, eating hotdogs, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and cheese sandwiches. Later in the day, the children enjoyed a main course dish of french-fried chicken, the Jamaican staple rice and peas, and a healthy serving of raw vegetables, prepared by the school’s regular chefs, including volunteer chef, 74-year old “Mama Vern”.
Teachers, Dornett Dixon and Ilene Smart were busy on the scene supporting the event and giving a helping hand. Also on hand was Parent Teachers Association President (PTA), Donovan Brown, who presented Fletcher with an Award of Appreciation.
Fletcher was delighted to play an integral role in making the event a success. In her address to the children, she stated that, “if you build your school, you build your community.”
The children were thrilled to spend several hours interacting with Fletcher. She is a role model for the children as many have hopes of becoming lawyers.
Reggae music played throughout the day, paused only for the moderator and event chairperson, Wayne Taitam, as he proceeded with the day’s program.
Other notable sponsors for the event were Rogell Levers, Esq., of the Levers Law Firm, a Florida Professional Limited Liability Company, and Shawn Varley, a native of Jamaica, who does a considerable amount of charity work.
The day ended with the kids being provided snacks and party favors as they look forward to next year for the second staging of the event.
