EXPRESSING gratitude for its unprecedented sponsorship of the parish’s football programme — $6.1 million, including initiating a $1-million nutrition programme through Restaurants of Jamaica’s Kentucky Fried Chicken — the St Thomas Football Association made a special presentation to Dr Jason McKay, received by his son Tye, during the recent awards ceremony of the McKay Security St Thomas Under-17 final.

Lascelles Logan, St Thomas Football Association president, presented the younger McKay with a keepsake depicting McKay Security’s sponsorship while highlighting the impact on the parish’s football — especially $2.3 million towards its Under-17 league which York Football Club won 2-1 against Danvers Pen on Sunday, July 5.

“McKay Security’s sponsorship of the under-17s and Major League, overall, enabled us to reward the clubs, as they deserve to be. We were able to provide $1 million in prize money for the Major League winners. The Under-17s also received prize money, first [place] through fourth — both historic achievements,” Logan noted.

York Football Club completed a historic triple of titles on Sunday, adding the first-ever McKay Security St Thomas Under-17 championship to their Major League title and South-East region play-off crown, which propelled them to a spot in next season’s Jamaica Football Championship (JFC), a rung below the Premier League.

Pointing to York, whose senior team topped the JFC qualifiers ahead of St Catherine’s Cedar Grove and Kingston and St Andrew Football Association’s (KSAFA) August Town, Logan noted the achievement coincided with McKay Security’s historic sponsorship.

“St Thomas eastern now has York in the JFC, joining Baptist Alliance from the west as Premier League prospects. York showed that we can conquer the powerhouses. With both teams in the JFC, I am on the hunt for more sponsorship.

“We are always seeking sponsorship, however we need more entities from the parish to assist, help the clubs. McKay Security is from outside the parish, so too Soccer Xpress, which now owns York. They could have easily spent their money in KSAFA but decided to help St Thomas,” Logan added.

Tye thanked the St Thomas FA for its memento, saying it will be proudly hung in his father’s office, which is almost a sporting shrine.

“McKay Security is proud to invest in sports, especially the youth who are the future of the community, the country, and Jamaica’s national football programme. My father, Dr Jason McKay, invests in many sports — martial arts, netball, pistol-shooting, dragon-boat racing — but football is a passion for him,” noted the younger McKay.