WHEN Sherian Abrahams turned up at the Trelawny Multi-purpose Stadium shortly after 1:00 pm for the February 11 rehearsal for the opening ceremony of ICC Cricket World Cup, she surprised a lot of her peers and coordinators.

She had missed the scheduled 6:30 am departure from Emancipation Park and her friends in the troupe had resigned themselves to her missing the first rehearsal for the grand March 11 opening ceremony.

Sherian, 16, a grade 11 student at the Tivoli Gardens High School, had other ideas. Along with her sister Sherika, who will also be among the performers in the showcase of Jamaican and Caribbean culture, they resorted to the proverbial ‘Plan B’. They decided to use public transportation.

In downtown Kingston, they came upon another hurdle: there was not enough money for them both to take the bus to Trelawny. They subsequently agreed that Sherian would make the trip, her farthest outside of the Corporate Area on her own.

“We reached the bus stop a little after 7:00 am, but had to wait until after eight when the bus got a full load before we left Parade,” Sherian recalls.

Along the way, the conductor on the bus answered her questions and told her where she should get off, and the directions to the stadium. She got off at the western intersection of the North Coast Highway and the main road into Falmouth, and made the 35-minute walk, passing groups of people working on the access road, to the Trelawny stadium.

“It was far, and the road was lonely but the workmen said it was the right way so I kept on walking. I saw a van and the men on it offered me a ride, but I told them it was ‘alright’,” Sherian said.

She arrived at the stadium later, to the surprise of her fellow dancers.

“When we saw her turn up at the stadium we were shocked,” dance teacher Jennifer Garwood recalls. “We couldn’t believe it! Everybody cheered. But you know, that’s what we drive home to them as members of the Tivoli Dance Troupe. Disciple, determination, dedication. That’s our motto.”

Joan Young-Davis, special events manager with the Local Organising Committee for Cricket CWC 2007, decided that Sherian’s efforts were worthy of acclaim. Cable & Wireless Jamaica, an official sponsor of CWC 2007, donated two bmobile handsets and a variety of tournament memorabilia to both young ladies. Everal Edwards, C&WJ’s corporate communications manager, commended them on their dedication and willingness to sacrifice for something that was clearly very important to them, their family, community and country.

Young-Davis also organised for popular entertainer Richie Stephens to serenade both Sherika and Sherian at another rehearsal on Saturday afternoon, February 17 at Sabina Park. Stephens was enthusiastic and spontaneous in his renditions and the girls were visibly thrilled as hundreds of their fellow performers and choreographers joined in to celebrate the effort and commitment.

“The family is happy that we are involved in the opening ceremony,” beams Sherian. “Everyone is behind us.”