CUMI gets well needed boost
MONTEGO BAY, St James — The annual Flow CUMI Come Run received a major boost last week as businessmen Godfrey Dyer and Brian Jardim agreed to become official Ambassadors of the event, while title sponsor, Flow committed $1m in cash and prizes for another year.
The 10K /5K fun run and walk is staged as a fundraising event which helps to maintain the mentally ill and homeless in St James.
At a press conference to launch the annual fundraising event at the Montego Bay Yacht Club last Thursday, Dyer who is also the chairman of the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF), pledged to add his influence to help further care for the mentally ill and homeless in St James.
He spoke on behalf of himself and his counterpart, Jardim, the managing director of Rainforest Seafoods.
“The cost of mental illness is personal, social and economic in nature, thereby impacting not just the ones who suffer from it but by extension all Jamaicans”, said Dyer.
He told the audience that the time to act is now as “mental illness “puts significant strain on the country’s healthcare budget and the economic burden with respect to lost productivity is inestimable.
“My presence here today is to indicate that as an Ambassador of Flow Cumi Come Run, I intent to work with this organisation to enhance the national dialogue on mental issues,” he announced.
His sentiments were echoed by Flow’s director of corporate and government affairs, Denise Williams, who urged attendees to join the movement to help better support the mentally ill and homeless.
“Events like the Flow CUMI Come Run defines us as a people willing to stand up for those who are vulnerable, it creates avenues for us to work and interact as a community and makes us more productive as we work together to help care and even rehabilitate individuals who may run the risk on never living a normal life”.
The organisers of the Flow CUMI Come Run, were delighted with the new and continued support as the organisation continues to struggle to find funds to care for the mentally ill.
Nurse Joy Crooks, the dynamo behind the organising committee gave a heart wrenching appeal for more support to help this group. “Although we were able to raise over $2 million last year we still struggle daily to carry out the day to day needs of this vulnerable group. We urge you all step up and help us care and make a difference,” she urged.
As part of the fundraising exercise last year, CUMI donated $1 million to the purchase of a bus for the Cornwall Regional Hospital. The vehicle will serve the entire county of Cornwall. The Flow CUMI Come Run will be held on Saturday October 1 beginning at 7 am at the Tryall Club in Hanover.
Sponsors of the event include Flow, JMMB, Tryall Club, Sandals Foundation, National, COPA Airlines, Rainforest Seafoods, Cascade Group and Power 106 FM.