St Elizabethans urged to join homecoming celebrations
ST ELIZABETH, Jamaica — St Elizabethans from all over the island are invited to take a trip to the “parish of their birth” during its celebrations, as the month of November is homecoming time for the parish.
According to a release, St Elizabeth is preparing, under the leadership of the St Elizabeth Homecoming Foundation and the distinguished patronage of Custos Rotulorum, Beryl Rochester, to celebrate the best of St Bess during the annual Homecoming Week scheduled for November 18-24.
This year, the Foundation, which is widely acknowledged as the pioneer organisation of its kind in Jamaica, commemorates its 25th anniversary and plans to rededicate its commitment to parish and community development through three main events, the release said.
Interim Chairman of the Homecoming Foundation, Dr Patrick Dallas, said St Elizabethans are invited to visit the parish and join those who still reside there during the week of celebrations.
Outlining the week’s calendar of events, Dallas highlighted the Annual Golden Awards Banquet to be held Saturday, November 24 at the Luana Banquet Hall at Luana, near Black River, at which outstanding individuals and groups will be recognised for their contribution to St Elizabeth and to nation-building.
Guest speaker at the awards function will be Professor Fritz Pinnock, President of the Caribbean Maritime University who hails from Siloah in the parish.
A major feature of Homecoming Week 2018 will be the inaugural St Bess Homecoming Agrifest, to be held Friday, November 23 at Independence Park in Back River, beginning at 10:00 am.
The Homecoming Agrifest will seek to highlight the importance of agriculture in and to St Elizabeth which has earned the reputation of being the breadbasket of Jamaica, the release said.
Homecoming Week 2018 will begin with the traditional Thanksgiving Church Service to be held on Sunday, November 18 at the Black River New Testament Church beginning at 10:00 am, while during the week of Monday November 19 through Thursday November 22, school motivational talks will be offered across the parish.
