Farm school... will be upgraded later this month

MONTEGO BAY, St James -

The Flankers and Farm Primary and Junior High Schools in Montego Bay will be upgraded later this month, courtesy of Jamaica Broilers Best Dressed 50 Fest anniversary celebrations.

Work on the two schools will form part of the community work projects to be undertaken by volunteers during the celebrations, which include three two-day gospel concerts and family fun days in Mandeville, Montego Bay and Kingston, a series of medical outreach and sports clinics and a gospel transformation initiative.

The work will comprise the repainting and renovation of the Flankers All-Age School and the construction of a 10-foot security fence and renovation of toilet facilities at the Farm Primary and Junior High School.

Yesterday, Sam Reid, principal of Farm Primary, said the upgrade was 'heaven sent'. He said the fencing would provide much-needed security for the school, which is surrounded by a number of volatile areas.

"I don't know what we would have done," he said. "We really need it." Last year he said the school spent almost $100,000 to construct a section of the wall but did not have enough funds to complete the work. Reid said that based on the prior work done he estimates the work to be carried out by the volunteers would be worth some $2 million.

He thanked the intervention of Pastor Conrad Pitkin of the Faith Temple Church in Montego Bay, who brought the plight of the school to the 50 Fest organising committee.

Pitkin is part of the islandwide group of churches that have joined forces with Jamaica Broilers as well as two international evangelical organisations, the Luis Palau Association with Luis and Andrew Palau and Miles Ahead Ministry with Miles McPherson. He will be providing volunteer personnel throughout the island for the duration of the three-pronged celebrations.

On Monday Pitkin told reporters, during the launch of the Montego Bay leg of the celebrations, that the committee had selected both schools due to the need that existed and had chosen the specific work projects in consultation with school representatives.

Already a small team of the 280 volunteers who will travel from the United States, including medical professionals, construction workers, athletes and counselling specialists, have started preparation work on the site at Farm.

On Monday Jamaica Broilers president and CEO, Robert Levy, told reporters and that the company had budgeted some $US1 million for the transformation series. "I looked at the difference God made in my life," said Levy Monday in answer to queries from reporters as to why the company had chosen gospel to celebrate its 50th anniversary milestone.

He said he hoped the event, which has been planned for almost a year, would have a tremendous impact on transforming lives throughout the island through the sharing of the good news of Christian principles.

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