THE Rotary Club of St Andrew North, in collaboration with a number of partners, has spent $10 million to repair schools in central and western Jamaica which were ravaged by Hurricane Melissa.

The club and its partners — Korey Rowe, principal of KR Method (USA); Apex Foundation (USA); and United Way of Jamaica — also replaced school equipment ruined by the hurricane.

On Saturday, June 21 a busload of members from the Rotary Club of St Andrew North travelled from Kingston to inspect the work done through the club’s donation at three early childhood institutions — Morgan’s Pass Basic School, Clarendon, which serves 26 students; Sanquinetti Early Childhood Institute in Trelawny with 64 students; and Middle Quarters Early Childhood Centre, St Elizabeth, with 50 students — which had their roofs restored.

“The students are now learning in safe, dry and comfortable classrooms, which is incredibly rewarding,” said Pierpont Wilson, president of the Rotary Club of St Andrew North.

Wilson noted that the club has also committed to securing replacement furniture damaged by the hurricane.

“The visits reinforced the power of partnership and Rotary’s commitment to ‘Service Above Self’. We are happy we could have transformed lives and made an impact in difficult times like these.”

While on the visit, school representatives heaped accolades on the club for its intervention.

Principal of Morgan’s Pass Basic School, Stacey McCalla shared that the school had been on the verge of closure after the hurricane.

“This assistance saved the school and preserved an important institution for our community,” said McCalla.

According to Pauvine Barrett, principal of Middle Quarters Early Childhood Centre, before the re-roofing of the school, classes could only be held from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon because the tarpaulins offered little protection from the heat and afternoon rain.

The oversight of that project was carried out by Father David “Tony” Reid, Anglican priest in the area. He described the club’s intervention as timely and invaluable, noting that many schools in the area still remain without permanent roofs after seven months.

As a show of thanks Diane Douse-Benjamin, principal of Sanquinetti Early Childhood Institute, presented the club with a plaque of appreciation as she pointed out that the school’s 64 students had frequently been sent home because of rain.

“When no one else showed up, the Rotary Club of St Andrew North did,” said Douse-Benjamin.

Past president of the Rotary Club of St Andrew North Nakia Rowe introduced KR Method, headed by his brother Korey Rowe, to the club’s Melissa relief project.

Korey Rowe said the partnership was born from a desire to help rural communities recover after Hurricane Melissa, and praised the Rotary Club of St Andrew North as an outstanding implementation partner. Both brothers have roots in St Elizabeth.

The Rotary Club of St Andrew North and its partners also donated neonatal equipment valued at about US$20,000 to the Black River Hospital, and $1 million to Munro College, which are both in St Elizabeth.

In Westmoreland the partners donated a Xerox multifunctional printer to Petersfield Primary School and an HP printer to Friendship Primary School.