CLAREMONT, St Ann — More than 100 students and parents from Ferncourt High School and the wider Claremont community have benefited from a health fair staged by the South Florida Chapter of Ferncourt High Alumni Association.

The event offered back-to-school medical checks, and partnered with the health ministry and Courts Optical to provide immunisation and eye tests, respectively.

“This is our first event of this kind… and we are pleased with the outcome. We are just giving back as we got help,” past president of the association and one of the organisers Dr David Ramsey told the Jamaica Observer.

He said the team of volunteers consisted of six nurses, three doctors, one doctor assistant and two nurse practitioners along with local partners.

One round of medical checks was done in August followed by another on September 2.

Christine McKenzie, who took her two children on the second day, was happy they went.

“My son [Christopher] will be a student [at Ferncourt High] and my daughter [Christina] attends another high school. I came today to do their medicals and I am very pleased with everything; so surprised by how organised it is. I don’t have to go anywhere to get my daughter’s medical done,” the satisfied parent said.

She said the wait time was not unbearable.

Ferncourt High Principal Sheldon Thomas, who is also a graduate, welcomed the alumni’s move to give back to their alma mater and the community that houses it.

“We appreciate these positive kinds of initiatives. As a country school this kind of event puts an ease on parents’ pockets. The parents and students are pleased with this initiative and I do hope it happens again next year, and bigger and better,” he said.

The health fair was a two-day event. The first session was held in August and the second on September 2.

— Ingrid Henry