The Tryall Fund: Serving Hanover for Over 50 Years
Established upwards of 50 years ago as a way for members and friends of the Tryall Club to contribute to the welfare of the parish of Hanover, the Tryall Fund has become an integral part of the community. Last Saturday, the fund hosted The Taste of Tryall — both a marquee event on the Tryall Club calendar and a significant fund-raiser for the charity.
Dozens of golf carts darted across the road safely to transport members to the venue — the new Tryall Beach Club where, upon arrival, guests perused the carefully curated selection of silent auction items and sipped Appleton cocktails. Later that evening, guests would be treated to the vocal stylings of Amanda Brown, who appeared on season three of NBC’s The Voice and is of Jamaican heritage. Looking around and listening to guests’ comments, you could easily discern that Tryall Club members have a deep connection to Jamaica and are committed to the welfare of neighbouring communities.
Education is a major pillar of the fund. Since 2008 it has been operating the Success By Six programme that ensures children are literate and have a solid grasp on numeracy before entering Grade One. The model was developed by Tryall Fund volunteers and has been replicated in other communities across the island. In addition to Success by Six, the fund grants scholarships to Western Jamaican students to begin and continue studies at secondary and tertiary institutions. Last year, the fund awarded scholarships to 181 students to the tune of US$230,000.
Tryall Fund President and Taste of Tryall chair Manuela Goren noted that this year it was the board’s hope to raise US$300,000, of which US$250,000 would go to servicing scholarships and education initiatives. The rest would go to supporting the fund’s other programmes — an annual free dental clinic, the Sandy Bay clinic, and the Hopewell Community and Recreational Centre, a collaborative effort of several local charities. The administration cost of the fund is almost zero, as it is fully staffed by volunteers.
The 2020 iteration of The Taste of Tryall was the event’s seventh. It was supported by The Tryall Club, Barita Investments Limited, Gore Development Limited, Appleton Estate, Campari, Alacran Foundation, Bucherer, Roseark Los Angeles, Kelly Hicks Summerfeldt, Sara Alviti Wilson, Jean Sexton, and the Jamaica Observer.
From the looks of things on Saturday evening, The Taste of Tryall will continue to grow exponentially in succeeding years so that it can increase the number of young lives it touches through access to quality education.