MONTEGO BAY, St James — After a $20-million upgrade made possible by support from local and regional service clubs, the Montego Bay Boys and Girls Club is now on a drive to boost its membership beyond the current 30.

In its heyday, Club, as it is affectionately known, served hundreds of youth through a variety of educational and social programmes designed to uplift them. However, in recent times, and especially since last October’s Hurricane Melissa devastated sections of the property, particularly the roofs, the club has seen a decline in membership.

“We are going into the communities, we are going into the schools telling them about the Montego Bay Boys and Girls Clubs,” the club’s chairman and Mayor of Montego Bay Richard Vernon told the Jamaica Observer, following a recent ceremony during which benefactors behind the rehabilitation officially handed it over to the club.

He said in addition to the 30 regular members, others participate in the club’s various programmes.

Sections of the new roof that now covers Montego Bay Boys and Girls Club.

“We have the marching band, we have general music lessons, we have football, we have netball, basketball for male and females,” Vernon outlined.

“We have our homework programmes, our computer programmes and so on, and so it is a full package for children who want to get involved in a club,” he added.

The recent rehabilitation work mainly involved replacing the roofs of the buildings.

“We have rebuilt it stronger than it was before so that it can be more resilient moving forward. Where we had wood, we replaced it with metal and we used continuous sheeting instead of the usual zinc sheets. This will withstand a higher pressure,” he explained.

Vernon said the rehabilitation came at a considerable cost, with the required funds beyond the club’s capacity to raise within the time frame needed.

The rehabilitated netball/basketball court at Montego Bay Boys and Girls Club.

“We have spent approximately $20 million trying to get things back together after Hurricane Melissa because this structure, the entire property was devastated after Melissa,” he said.

For support, Vernon reached out to Rotary Club of Grand Cayman, which played a significant role in restoring the roofs on the structures at Pop Lawrence Road. The club also worked locally with the Rotary Club of L.I.F.E and contractor EZ Group to carry out the necessary work needed to make the buildings usable again. Past president of Rotary Club of Grand Cayman Alan Roffey was tasked with providing oversight for the project.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity for me to a lead a project that has gone as well as this one,” he told the Observer, adding that the project came in on schedule and within budget.

Roffey also spoke highly of the role played by sponsors Cayman National Bank whose employees donated their Christmas bonuses to the cause.

The roofless Ratamir “Papa” Pavlovic music hall on the grounds of the Montego Bay Boys and Girls Club following Hurricane Melissa last October. 

“This isn’t just a bank, it isn’t just a corporation, it is a whole community of people who believe in what this organisation does and believes in this community and how important this is,” he added.

In addition, Roffey explained that a past president of the Rotary Club of Montego Bay Nerissa Persuade, was instrumental in getting approval for the project, which will now benefit thousands of youth in Montego Bay.

Also involved in the rehabilitation of the club was Jamaica Link Ministries, which came on board and provided support in the form of furniture and appliances. Local enterprise Startec provided ceiling fans and lighting fixtures, while National Supply contributed to rehabilitation of the netball and basketball court.

“We thank the community, all the humanitarian groups, the clubs and all those who have made this possible, we really appreciate it,” said Vernon.