Top Hill CCC gifts $600,000 to community schools, proceeds from its annual dinner
Published:Tuesday | January 21, 2025 | 12:08 AMAdrian Frater/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
The saying, “self-help is the best help,” played out in Top Hill, St Elizabeth, on Saturday, when the Top Hill Cricket and Country Club (CCC) donated the full $600,000 raised from its annual fundraising dinner to two schools, which suffered significant damage during the July 3, 2024, passage of Hurricane Beryl.
The two schools, the Top Hill Salvation Army Basic School and Top Hill Primary School, suffered major infrastructural damage, alongside water damage to furniture and school supplies. However, thanks to the support they have got, both schools are now facing the future with much optimism.
“This assistance means a lot to us, and we really appreciate it,” said Cavene Bisasor Headlam, the principal at Top Hill Primary School. “It means so much to us because this is one of the entities that we have always looked forward to receiving assistance from, and knowing our needs, it is a welcome gift.”
In looking back at the impact that Hurricane Beryl had on her school, which was one of the facilities badly damaged as hurricane had its greatest impact on St Elizabeth, Bisasor Headlam said the school took a devastating hit.
“We lost the roofs to our canteen, the grade-6 area, the library, a portion of grade 4 and 5, and all the bathrooms… all of those were damaged… with the roof blown off. We lost all the contents of the library,” said Bisasor Headlam. “We got wet in other areas, water came in through windows and doors. Grade 1 to 3 is a three-wall building so that water would have naturally gone in through the other side.”
Termite damage
While termites did not come with the weather system, because most of the furniture are old, once they got wet, they became ideal for feasting by insects. Though the roofs have been replaced and the school has got some new furniture, some of the damaged ones are still being used.
“With the wet, the termites had their fun but, overall, we are about 90 per cent in terms of getting to be where we want to be. This gift from the Top Hill Cricket Club will go a long way in helping us to get there,” said Bisasor Headlam, who also extended gratitude to the other entities and individuals who have also provided support.
“We have gotten assistance from various organisations and individuals. Most of it went towards preparing students for back to school,” said Bisasor Headlam.
Like the Top Hill Primary School, the Top Hill Salvation Army Basic School, which suffered similar damage, is also looking forward to using the funds given to them in their restoration activities.
The Top Hill Cricket and Country Club, which is one of the cornerstones in the development of cricket in St Elizabeth, has expanded its range from just cricket and is integrally involved in social programmes beneficial to the community, which they support through fundraising projects.
The Top Hill Cricket and Country Club is led by Erwin Burton, its chairman, whose leadership has positioned the club as a bastion of goodwill in the rural community, which is seen as a shining example to other communities.