St Mary’s College Alumni Association used the second staging of its Gordon “Butch” Stewart Awards to launch the Edmund Cheney SJ Foundation on July 8, 2017 at Knutsford Court Hotel in Kingston.

According to Chairman Anthony DaCosta, the foundation, named in honour of St Mary’s College’s founder Father Edmund Cheney, SJ, was established to “assist with funding for projects for St Mary’s College”.

As such, development and training for students and staff members, scholarships for students, and funding needed in areas outside of the school’s budget are high on the foundation’s agenda.

Recipients of this year’s Butch Stewart Award — named in honour of the tourism mogul and St Mary’s College past student — are Father Louis Grenier for 60 years’ service to the school; Patrick Donaldson, principal for the period 1978 — 1989; Barrington Malcolm, class of 1970; Gloria Rochester-James, class of 1963; and Patrick Rhone, class of 1982.

The Cheney Spirit Award was presented to Ian Harris and Beverly Yearde.

The stellar event was attended by Archbishop of Kingston Kenneth Richards, members of St Mary’s College Alumni Association, and many past students, including Jamaica Observer Photographer Joseph Wellington who recorded the evening’s activities.