Rusea’s alumni have come together to support the school’s next generation of students with one key goal in mind: To raise US$1 million over the next decade to support educational and development activities for the 247-year-old Lucea, Hanover, high school.

On July 13, the Rusea’s Old Students Association of Canada (ROSA Canada) launched the Rusea’s Alumni Endowment Fund (RAEF) Limited, with support from the New York and UK chapters. Making the announcement on Zoom, more than 40 attendees from across the globe were on the call and encouraged to “believe in the possibilities” — ROSA Canada’s theme for the event — while being serenaded by Bob Marley’s classic hit
One Love as the function began.

Noel Greaves, who attended Rusea’s from 1970 to 1974, and co-lead the initiative with Norma Knuckle, welcomed guests and shared how RAEF became a reality.

“RAEF is the establishment of a sustainable and long-term fund to provide financial support for future educational and develop activities at Rusea’s,” said Greaves. “An annuity and a legacy.”

Greaves then presented Curtis Ennis, fellow Jamaican and director of education at Halton District School Board in Ontario, Canada, as the MC. Ennis introduced both the ROSA Canada Steering Committee and RAEF board of directors to the audience.

Distinguished guests, including the consul general from Jamaica at Toronto, Kurt Davis; retired president of the Court of Appeal (Jamaica), Justice Seymour Panton; Barbados High Court judge, Justice Dr Herbert Patrick Wells; His Worship Mayor Richard Vernon – mayor of Montego Bay; Jason Adams, associate vice-president, Client Services, Jamaica National Fund Managers; Nola Stair, educator; Rusea’s Principal Donna Anderson; and Dr Pamela Appelt, retired judge of the Court of Canadian Citizenship, and Officer, Order of Canada, were all in attendance, amongst others.

The event ended with a rendition of Diana Ross’s classic: Reach out and Touch Somebody’s Hand.

“Life is about the choices we make, and this is in large part determines our outcome,” says Linda Hudson, president of ROSA UK. “We are making a choice to create a legacy for Rusea’s.”

Rusea’s alumni, friends of Rusea’s, and other partners are encouraged to support the cause.

All tax-deductible donations can be made at https://ruseas-endowment-fund-2023.raisely.com.