Markland ‘Action’ Edwards brings Christmas cheer to Yadel Home for Children
For a second consecutive year, radio broadcaster Markland Edwards helped to make Christmas Day all the brighter for wards of the State at the Yadel Home for Children in Old Harbour, St Catherine.
Edwards and his wife, Andrea, shared with 17 wards and seven members of staff in a beautiful Christmas dinner at the facility as well as provided well-needed supplies to the girls.
“Christmas is a time for family and friends and those in State care should not be deprived of having that experience because of their circumstances. This has become my Christmas tradition, to feed and spend time with the children at Yadel and any other State care facility,” Edwards said.
The radio broadcaster says he was moved by the gratitude of the children who took turns singing and expressed their appreciation for the dinner and other gifts.
According to Edwards, this year’s outreach was made possible through the kind contribution of several partners.
“We had a wonderful time with the girls. Through the partnership with Paradise Catering, we enjoyed gungo peas and rice, pineapple baked chicken, fried chicken, curried goat, escovitch sliced fish, tossed salad, garlic cheese potato salad, steamed vegetables and honey glazed ham and my homemade sorrel.”
“I would like to thank Yummy Bakery, Grace Foods, Lasco and Derrimon Trading for their donations. I do hope this pandemic will be over for next Christmas so the children will be able leave the facility for the day and be engaged in lots more fun activities on Christmas Day,” he added.
This act of generosity at Christmas has become an annual ritual for Edwards as this is his fourth year sharing with wards of the State. Since 2018 he has participated in the Child Protection and Family Services Agency’s (CPFSA) ‘Take A Child Home For The Holiday’ initiative. To date, Edwards have provided Christmas dinner for over 100 children and staff from various State care facilities.
The onset of the novel coronavirus pandemic brought an halt to the State agency led initiative but not to Edward’s love for sharing with the children at Christmas.
