Dairy Industries, the long-time sponsors of Premier League club Waterhouse FC, made a timely donation to the club earlier this week, just in time for the Easter season.

The company made a donation of cheese valued at $150,000 which will be split among players, club administrators and their families.

Dairy Industries Brand Manager Dionne Henry explained the reason for her company’s donation at this time.

“We decided that we wanted to share with the Waterhouse Football Club, and we will be sharing with the community as well, a piece of Easter. During the challenging times we still want persons to remember the Easter season and to participate in it, and this is why we are here today contributing some cases of cheese to the club,” she said.

Waterhouse will be participating in the Flow Concacaf Caribbean Club Championships in May and Henry says that her company will be on board for that tournament as well.

“I wish we could go with them, but because we can’t go, we will send some products with them,” she noted.

Waterhouse FC Head Coach Marcel Gayle was grateful for the contribution.

“It’s dark times. In football parlance, it’s an unforced error, we never predicted this, we never saw it coming our way, but…the Lord sent an angel in the likes of Dairy Industries to rescue us at a time like this,” said the coach.

Gayle said that all 12 clubs that participate in the Jamaica Premier League are facing hardship at this time, and urged other corporate entities, that were in a position to do so, to help out the football fraternity as much as they possibly can.

“I know other clubs are feeling the strain like Waterhouse. This [football] is our livelihood; this is something they look forward to.

“To not be able to play, it hurts, not just physically, but also mentally. They [players] don’t have the opportunity to come out and showcase their talent. We as the coaches, we always try to remind the players that this is their profession, so they are always focusing on football and now that got taken away so they are devastated.

“We can only give hope at this time. We need to come together as one unit, as one football family. All the other eleven clubs are facing financial burden. I know players from other clubs, I know coaches from other clubs, only football is their livelihood. At this time, corporate Jamaica and persons who would want to donate or give back to these clubs, it would be a good time now because things are really, really bad at this time,” Gayle reasoned.

Waterhouse winger Andre Fletcher, who was on hand for the presentation, said that he has had to resort to his “rainy day” fund to survive.

“Times like these are really, really tough. Things are not the same like it used to be within the football, but things happen during this pandemic and we just have to keep our heads high. I am living off my savings. When I used to get my pay, I put away some of it until a rainy day until crucial time like this,” he said.

While they await word on whether the league will be played, Waterhouse FC have begun preparations for the Flow Concacaf Caribbean Club Championships.