BARRETT TOWN, St James

Chairman of the SOS Children’s Village at Barrett Town, Heinz Simonitsch, on Monday announced a US$350,000 (J$23.5-million) improvement project for the Barrett Town facility.

The improvement work will involve the construction of two new family houses and a staff quarters, as well as the renovation of the Johnny Cash-sponsored house that was partially destroyed by fire last September.

Speaking at Monday’s brief ground-breaking ceremony at the facility, Simonitsch said funding for the project – which is expected to be completed within six months – was raised from a variety of sources.

He noted that Michele Rollins, the widow of co-founder of the Village, John Rollins, had donated US$110,000 to construct one of the houses.

“This house will be called the ‘Andy Fitzroy House’ in memory of Andy Fitzroy, who was the leading figure in Rose Hall Development Ltd, owned by the Rollins family,” the chairman said.

Another US$105,000, Simonitsch added, was received from an American Trust, which will assist in the construction of the other house, while funding for the staff quarters is being provided by the SOS Kinderdorf – the international organisation based in Austria.

The renovation of the Johnny Cash-sponsored house is being done using funds derived from a trust located in Bermuda and the US-based investment firm, Bear Stearns.

The Barrett Town Village, which sits on five acres of lands overlooking the Caribbean Sea, just a few metres from a section of the famous Rose Hall to Montego Bay corridor, was donated in 1967 by John Rollins, the late Texan billionaire.

Years later, Rollins, Simonitsch and businessman Dr Harland Hastings collaborated to raise funds to construct several houses on the property. Their fund-raising efforts included Cash, the legendary American country singer who staged two concerts to raise money for the village.

Today, the facility consists of 10 houses with nine children each, kindergarten, administrative offices and staff house. It is run by a village director, who has among his team a social worker, an administrative assistant, a village master and a driver. There are also three teachers on staff, including a reading specialist.

SOS national director Anita Tharpe told the Observer West on Monday that the completion of the project will enable another 18 children to “join the family” at the village.

“The expansion will allow those children out there who really need a family to become a part of the wider SOS Children’s Village community,” she said, adding that the children will get quality care and service.