WESTERN BUREAU – The Hanover Charities, a not-for-profit organisation, on Wednesday presented cheques valued at over $8 million to more than 70 organisations and individuals during a brief ceremony held at the Round Hill Hotel and Villas in the parish.

Recipients included a number of basic, primary and high schools, private and public agencies and a wide range of programmes that are geared towards enhancing Hanover’s development.

Two other institutions – the Home of Charlotte’s Children in Montego Bay and the Caribbean Christian Centre for the Deaf in Mandeville – were also presented with funds to help sustain their programmes.

Hanover Charities is the largest charity organisation in the western end of the island. It was founded in 1957 by the late William Hornby DeLisser, a former Custos of Hanover, and Lady Monson (now Betty Phillips), who were shareholders in the Round Hill and Tryall properties.

For the past 47 years, the organisation has staged a fund-raising event – an elegant ball called the “Sugar Cane Carnival” – at the prestigious Round Hill Hotel and Villas.

This year’s event, which was staged in February, raised a record US$140,000. The sum represented an increase of US$21,000 over the amount collected last year.

“We were particularly thrilled about raising this amount, considering changes in worldwide economical climates.

Despite all the problems, we were pleased to say that we gained support from locals and foreigners and we thanked them immensely,” said the Charities’ vice-chairman, Katrin Casserly.

Among this year’s beneficiaries was the Orchard Sports Complex that is located near Hopewell in the parish. The project, which is being spearheaded by the Hanover Jaycees, received $2 million. The money will be used to install concrete stands at the facility, to accommodate 1,000 persons. Two years ago, the Orchard Sports Complex was the recipient of $815,000 from the charity organisation. That money was used to install lighting at the facility as well as to finance architectural designs for the expansion of the complex.

Another recipient, the Hanover Ministers’ Fraternal, received $600,000 to assist in their soup kitchen programme. Stivel Crossman, who received the cheque on behalf of the group, told the Observer that the programme, which began more than 10 years ago by providing soup for a few children in Lucea, has grown tremendously.

“Now the programme has grown so much that we are feeding over 500 persons every Tuesday. We now give to the shut-ins, the aged, street people and children in many districts around Lucea,” Crossman said.