ST JAMES, Jamaica — St James High School, which is continuing its recovery from the impact of Hurricane Melissa, has been selected as the beneficiary of the second annual Fitt Nation876 Charity 5K Night Run/Walk, scheduled for August 15 at Harmony Beach Park in Montego Bay.

The event aims to raise funds to support the school’s ongoing restoration efforts following the passage of the Category 5 hurricane that impacted Jamaica on October 28 last year.

Participants will assemble for a warm-up session at 6:30 pm before setting off at 7:00 pm. The route will take runners from Harmony Beach Park to the Freeport Police Station and back.

Runners can register for the event through the club’s website, www.fittnation.run, or via the registration link available on the Fitt Nation876 Instagram page.

Organisers are hoping to attract enough participants to raise at least $1.5 million to support the school’s ongoing recovery efforts.

President of Run Squad 876 and event organiser, Errol Granston, told JIS News that the charity event is part of the organisation’s ongoing commitment to supporting education.

Run Squad 876, a fitness club established in January 2025, hosts weekly wellness activities at Pier One, with proceeds supporting a range of community initiatives, including charitable causes, health fairs, and back-to-school assistance programmes.

Grantson said St James High School was selected after the organisation sought recommendations on institutions that continue to require support in the wake of Hurricane Melissa.

He is encouraging Jamaicans to support the initiative, noting that many schools continue to grapple with challenges months after the hurricane.

“This is basically your way of assisting students to get back into school to learn in a comfortable environment,” he said, inviting registration from patrons.

He added that, “if you’re doing charity outreach programmes, it shouldn’t be limited to just one aspect… it should be extended to wherever assistance is needed.”

Principal of the St James High School, Joseph Williams, welcomed the initiative, describing it as a timely boost for the institution’s ongoing recovery efforts.

The school, which serves more than 1,700 students from several parishes and operates on a shift system, sustained significant damage to a number of key facilities, including its poultry unit, computer laboratory, and mechanical engineering workshop.

Williams said that, should sufficient funds be raised, restoring the poultry unit would be the school’s top priority.

“[The poultry unit] is important for teaching and learning, and it is also an investment, because if we get that going and we are able to produce, it will help us to raise funds to continue the recovery,” he explained.

Williams noted that repairs to classroom blocks are also among the institution’s immediate priorities.

The principal appealed for strong support from Jamaicans, pointing out that the initiative offers a dual benefit by assisting the school’s recovery efforts while encouraging participants to improve their health and well-being.

“I want to say that all those who are aware, those who have heard, those who have seen the poster and will know about the event, they should make every effort to support. This is nation building. It’s for the youth,” Williams said.

—    JIS