Despite being confined to a wheelchair for years, Anthony Davis, popularly known as Charley, has made it his duty to give to the less fortunate in St Mary through partnership with others.

Davis, who fell from a tree several years ago and has been paralysed since, gets around by using a wheelchair.

Although he is unemployed, Davis has dedicated himself to helping others and through sponsorships has had his own support organisation, the Sandra and Charley T and Friends Foundation.

Davis, through the foundation, journeys yearly to the Port Maria Infirmary with community members, including barbers and hairdressers to pamper residents at the facility and to provide meals. As he tries to make others happy, Davis often does not pay attention to his own needs.

He said he got the idea and the inspiration to help others just by reading.

“The inspiration comes from reading and the most high,” he told the Jamaica Observer.

“It gives me joy. I’m happy to do it. We can’t say we love and only love our own,” he added.

Davis said that he believes giving should be a way of life for people.

“This is a way of life; this is a great movement,” the 31-year-old said, while explaining that he seeks help to sponsor the Foundation which is tasked with feeding the homeless, elderly and treating persons at the St Mary Infirmary, annually. While doing all his charitable deeds, which include providing meals for the homeless, Davis faced the challenge of leaving his home without the proper facilities.

When Astley Plunkett, one of his friends saw this, he got others involved to build a fully-secured ramp for Davis to move freely to and from his home. Last week friends and family gathered at his home for the official handing over of the ramp.

With all the work he has been doing Davis was not surprised, but was very grateful when one of his friends, along with two groups decided to build the ramp.

“Do good and good will follow you,” Davis commented.

He said that the ramp will provide him with a much easier access to and from his Wentworth home in Port Maria. The ramp was built by Sunlife, a drink company in the United States in association with the Rastafarian Brotherhood and the Sandside Community.

“Mi really grateful for what happen. Mi really happy,” Davis told those who attended the handing over ceremony for the ramp.

Astley Plunkett of the Sunshine Company which produces the Lion Paw roots drink in the USA, and a member of the Rastafarian Brotherhood said that he was moved to assist Davis when he visited him and realised that he had some difficulty leaving his house.

“Each time I come to see him he can’t come out so it caught my attention. I said what if there is a fire,” Plunkett stated.

He said that he sought partnership with members of the Rastafarian Brotherhood in the United States and partnered with the local community group to have the ramp built for Davis.

“Charley is a brother … very close to me,” Plunkett said.

Plunkett continued: “I was always taught to be mindful of people I can help. I was raised with a mother who was always giving. She was always sending us out to give people food when we were younger.”

He said he will continue to assist Davis in whatever way possible. Plunkett and some of his friends were also expected to visit the St Mary Infirmary last week to treat the residents.

In the meantime persons who attended the official handing over of the ramp praised Plunkett and his partners for recognising the need and working to assist.

“I am happy they saw a need and they did something. The family appreciates all you have done. Thanks a million,” Cashmine Warren, a family friend stated.

“You came and you saw the need and you fill the need. That is what love is about,” community member Dennis Henry said.

Odette McKerney, the chairperson at the short ceremony also applauded the efforts of those involved.

“This is something that is worthy of being applauded and should be commended. Sometimes if we focus on giving just a little it will make a difference,” she stated.

Davis was also praised for his determination and drive in spite of being physically challenged.

“You have a warm and encouraging spirit,” Kenworth Euter, who did the construction along with some of Davis’ friends, told him.