Sandrea Long-White, acting managing director of Community Based Rehabilitation Jamaica (CBRJ), expressed her heartfelt gratitude towards the organisers of the 10th staging of the Good Samaritan 5K Health Run.

She praised their tireless efforts to raise vital funds for a specialised vehicle, tailor-made to support the invaluable work of CBRJ, an organisation dedicated to empowering special needs children and their families.

The event, which was hosted by the St Andrew Memorial Seventh-day Adventist Church on Sunday, August 25, 2024, aimed to raise $10 million.

Long-White said the customised vehicle will enable CBRJ to expand its reach and provide critical interventions to more children and families in need.

“I am very happy with what the organisers are doing because children with disabilities are at a disadvantage. When you find a group of persons who have the interest in supporting our children with disabilities, it really touches our hearts,” Long-White told the Jamaica Observer.

“They are trying to provide transportation for us to be able to take the services into the communities to the children. What this will do is allow us to reach so many more children and impact their lives for the better,” she said.

CBRJ, located in Spanish Town, St Catherine, has been supporting children with disabilities and their families for over 40 years. The organisation provides a range of services, including developmental and psychological assessments, therapeutic interventions, and referral services, which can lead to the cognitive and social development of children and adolescents with disabilities. CBRJ currently caters to over 600 children and adolescents in St Catherine, Manchester, St Elizabeth, and St James.

Long-White highlighted the challenges faced by families with children with disabilities, including stigma and lack of access to services.

“We do have instances where parents are hiding their children because they don’t want others to know that they have disabilities. The fact is even some who want services can’t access them. With the education and services that we provide to the families, we find that more of them are bringing out their children.

“We used to have a bus for that kind of support, but it broke down two or three years ago, and so we were not able to reach some of our children. Getting a bus now will go a long way in helping these children,” Long-White said.

Pastor Omar Oliphant of St Andrew Memorial Seventh-day Adventist Church, also expressed delight that the 2024 staging had drawn an impressive crowd.

“This year we have an increase, I am not sure what the exact numbers are at this moment, but the turnout has been good. We were thrilled to see a significant surge in participation from previous years, with a notable increase in tents, sponsors, supporters, and collaborators joining our cause,” Pastor Oliphant exclaimed, his enthusiasm palpable.

In the male category, Kemar Leslie emerged victorious in the 5K Run with an impressive time of 16:34 minutes, followed closely by Odane Davidson (16:49 minutes) and Jomo-Rhyss Gillman (17:12 minutes).

Tonya Busse dominated the female section with a winning time of 21:45 minutes, leaving Jodi-Ann Walker (23:41 minutes) and Dandie Williams (23:42 minutes) to take second and third place, respectively.

Leslie expressed his enthusiasm for the event.

“As for me, I’m passionate about running and healthy living. As a professional athlete, I’ve represented Jamaica in two marathons and a 10K event, and I’m currently training for a marathon, but before that I have a 10K in Montego Bay coming up soon. Running keeps me alive,” Leslie said.

Busse said she was a bit surprised when she found out she was in front.

“I’m absolutely thrilled and feeling amazing after winning the 5K Run. I was just trying to keep pace with my friends and didn’t realise I was winning,” Busse told the Observer.

“What’s even more rewarding is that this event supports a fantastic cause — raising funds for transportation for people in wheelchairs. It’s a vital need, and I’m glad to see a good turnout, as the more support, the better,” she added.