KINGSTON, Jamaica— The Ardenne Alumni Foundation under the chairmanship of Flo Darby launched the 2nd Optima 5K at Ardenne High earlier this week.

The 5K will run off on Saturday, November 16 at 6:30 am on Ardenne Road in Kingston.

The event is the biggest single fundraiser for the foundation which intends to build a first ever high school wellness centre for the school population of over 2,000 students.

“We are planning to build a wellness centre for Ardenne High School. A wellness centre for all kinds of physical health, (and) emotional health. We plan to have a space for a nurse where she would meet with students, teachers and so on as well as rooms for our guidance counsellors, part-time psychiatrist, psychologist and social worker. It will be the first of its kind in Jamaica and we are looking forward to improving the environment for our students,” said Darby.

She disclosed that according to the drawings for the wellness centre, which will be housed on the school’s campus, the current cost to build is $64 million.

It is expected that the wellness centre will be up and running before the school’s 100th anniversary in 2027.

Alfred ‘Frano’ Francis of Running Events Jamaica Limited will put the full weight and experience of his team behind the management of the 5K.

“We will try our best to execute and give persons the runner support that they need, timely execution and fun and encourage persons to really foster a healthy lifestyle through running and also for this cause which is so great to raise funds to create a wellness centre at Ardenne. I think this a great initiative where this school is concerned and can be exemplary for all other schools to follow,” Francis said.

Registration for the 5K event will open on runningeventsja.com. The cost to register is $2,000 for adults and $1,500 for students.

“I want to see great representation where the present students of Ardenne are concerned and past students and anyone who is interested in health and wellness,” Francis urged.

As for the route for the 5K run, Francis said it will “start on Ardenne Road and meander through Trafalgar Park onto Trafalgar Road. Turning left on Lady Musgrave Road, go straight up to Vale Royal then turn right on Upper Montrose onto Seymour, then turn left on Hopefield, followed by a right turn onto Lady Musgrave Road, then left on hope Road and left on Ardenne Road where we will finish.”

Terrence Ram, head boy at Adrenne said that there is a great need for the wellness centre.

“There is a need for the facility for us students. The Guidance Department here, the facilities they need to be expanded. In my opinion the Ardenne Wellness Centre will give students a space, a safe place for them to relax, enjoy, interact with both guidance counsellors, share their opinions on what they need to happen in the school, develop personally and also have time to spend with students and staff,” the head boy said.

Other attendees at the 5K launch who gave support included the school’s principal Jacqueline Pinto; Dr Winston De La Haye, president of the Ardenne Alumni Association, along with numerous past students and foundation members as well as the Ministry of Health and Wellness through their director of health promotion and education Takese Foga.

Past student and 400m specialist Brandon Simpson and fellow Olympian Maurice Smith were also in attendance, and endorsed the launch, with plans to encourage their compatriots to support the 5K run event.