Oceanpointe homeowners come good for needy Lucea students

WESTERN BUREAU:

In a show of generosity, the residents of Oceanpointe, one of the newer residential communities in Hanover, have donated approximately 1,000 backpacks with school supplies and offered five scholarships valued at J$20,000 to needy students in and around the parish capital, Lucea.

Nickolette Robotham, who chairs the Oceanpointe Homeowners Association’s Community Outreach Programme, described the gesture, which also included offering the students free healthcare checks and supplies, as a part of an outreach programme, which they started last year.

“Half of it (the supplies) was purchases made by Oceanpointe homeowners and friends of Oceanpointe homeowners,” said Robotham. “We also received cash from both groups, so it’s half and half, and everything we received was documented.”

The event, which took place in the Hanover Municipal Corporation’s (HMC) car park in Bustamante Square, in Lucea, saw students getting their free medical check-ups and having their vaccination cards updated.

Regarding the five scholarships that were awarded, Robotham explained that two were given to students attending Esher Primary School, two to students attending St Simon Primary School, and one to a student attending Rusea’s High School.

“We sent letters to the schools requesting that they identify top achievers within their institutions who are in need, and those students were identified and are the recipients,” she said.

Robotham pointed out that, in 2024, just over 300 were assisted by her group in a similar back-to-school giveaway. However, because the overall response was so overwhelming, they descended to expand the number this year.

INCREASED NUMBER OF PACKAGES

“Last year we started out with 300 students, however the crowd was so huge that we did not have enough packages to give out, so this year we decided to increase the number of packages to make sure that everyone who turns up for the event got some assistance,” she said.

One parent, who turned up for the event, told The Gleaner that she was very grateful for the assistance, as being a single parent, the assistance will take some of the back-to-school pressure off her.

“Me hear about dis event while on the road, and me bring him come fi see what him can get, because come September, me know say things a go tough,” she said.

Robotham said the feedback she has been receiving from parents and guardians has been overwhelming, especially in respect to the free medicals for the students.

“They have all been grateful, especially with the new addition that we are doing, as this year is the first time that we are doing the school medicals and vaccinations,” she stated.

According to Robotham, the homeowners at Oceanpointe, especially those who reside overseas, are usually delighted when they see pictures of the response to the event.

“Some of them, not only do they want to continue to contribute, but they want to be here in person for next year, as it is all positive and they are excited,” she said. “I know what it is like to not to have while growing up, as I am from this parish as well, and so, I am very passionate about giving back, that is why this initiative came about. The support has been great, and I am amazed by the support for it, and the willingness of people to give.”

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