LOTTERY, St James — Scores of children from Lottery and surrounding communities in St James, were the beneficiaries of school supplies at the Sandals/SDC Back-to-School Treat and Health Fair held at the Lottery Primary School recently.

The event, held annually, is a joint partnership with Sandals Resorts in Montego Bay and the Social Development Commission (SDC).

The mission of the treat and health fair is to ease the financial pressure that parents in rural St James face when preparing children for the new academic year which begins in September.

With the help of volunteers from the Community Development Committee of Lottery and Sandals team members, children were gifted with a host of items, including: school bags, books, pencils, calculators and other learning resources.

Additionally, nearly 40 children at the basic, primary and high school level, received free medical check-ups by a team of medical personnel from the Cornwall Regional Hospital, comprising two nurses and a doctor.

Regional public relations coordinator of Sandals Resorts in Montego Bay, Sherine Williams, said the large number of people who turned out to the event was sufficient encouragement for Sandals to continue hosting back-to-school treats on a yearly basis.

“Next year, we will visit another rural community and we hope to bring even more vital services to people who are far from the urban areas and sometimes have difficulty accessing the services they need,” Williams expressed.

Cornwall Regional Hospital’s Dr Noelee Bowen, who volunteered to complete medical examinations for students returning to school, said she enjoys giving back to people living in rural areas, especially those who sometimes have difficulty accessing health care.

“I like giving back in this way because I get to impact different people that I wouldn’t normally see in my line of work, and I get to play a part in enhancing their lives,” Dr Bowen said.