ST JAMES, Jamaica — Community activist Sandra Miller Hall, partnered with members of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) Health Services Corps’ community outreach department, to present 10-year-old Flanker Primary and Junior High student Tavoy Solomon, with a cash grant and school supplies during devotion at the institution last Wednesday.

The financial woes faced by the grade three student, who lives with his grandmother, Violet Campbell, in a section of Flanker, excarcerbated in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa.

The young student’s plight came to the attention of Miller Hall, an honorary JDF member, who started to assist the youngsters on her own.

She disclosed that after she was contacted by the JDF to identify someone who needed assistance, she had no hesitation to recommend Tavoy.

“It was brought to my attention and it’s an ongoing thing that I am doing with him on my own. And then JDF asked me if I could find somebody [in need] as they have identified some cash, I identified Tavoy,” Miller Hall told Online Observer.

“I don’t only work with the Jamaica Defence Force, I [also] do a lot of community work outside of that. Over the holidays and after the hurricane I distributed care packages to all different communities,” she added.

Major Ryan Jarrett,  who is also a medical doctor, explained that the donation, which constituted cash, school books and games, formed part of “actually something that we do as a department”.

“Within my department,  which is the Health Services Corps, we have a community outreach and this is one of those many events that we would normally do,” the soldier revealed.

Campbell, affectionately called Miss Vie, expressed gratitude on her grandson’s behalf.

“It’s very nice and although I don’t even open the envelope as yet but I know it will go a far way. I feel good about it,” she shared.

Principal of Flanker Primary School Colette Barnes was grateful for the generous intervention of Miller Hall and members of the JDF for assisting the young student.

“I am elated, I have known about Tavoy since about two years ago so I know of his struggles. I know that he lives with his grandmother and for Miss Miller Hall to reach out and to give support, I an elated. We are in the business of education and we are in the business of transforming lives through education. So whatever help we can get, it is appreciated,” Barnes said.

She noted that the entire school population was fascinated by the soldiers’ visit.

“To see the team from JDF took time out today and to be here … the children are excited to see the helicopter. It was a different experience for them. it was a learning experience for them. I heard some of them saying ‘Miss I want to go in the military’ and they didn’t know that going into the military they can also study to become doctors, lawyers because I was telling them that Major [Jarrett] was a medical doctor. We have a public health inspector there, we have a nurse.  So they learned today that they can actually go into different fields in the army. So it’s a learning experience. So we are grateful,” she said.