SOME 100 teachers from 10 schools in and around St. Catherine were hosted to a Teachers' Day luncheon on Wednesday, May 8 by the Jamaica Broilers Group of Companies at the Group's Best Dressed Chicken Feed Mill Multi-Purpose Complex in Freetown, Old Harbour.
The teachers all work at schools in communities which are in proximity to several of the Group's operating companies, and to the Group Head Office. Wednesday's function marked the 15th occasion on which Jamaica Broilers was providing special treatment for teachers on "Teachers' Day", but it was the first occasion on which it was extended as far afield as Bodles and Freetown.
Teachers honoured came from the Marlie Mount Primary and Infant, Spring Village Basic, Old Harbour Primary, McCook Pen Basic, McCook Pen Primary, Dover Basic, Spring Gardens All-Age, Ruby Madden Basic, and Freetown Primary schools, as well as the Spring Village Training Institute.
In welcoming the teachers, Major Neil Lewis, vice-president of the Group's Best Dressed Poultry Division reiterated Jamaica's Broilers' commitment to making Teachers' Day special for those in the communities in which the Group's operations are located. However, he reminded his audience that "the community" existed beyond a geographical space to include families, employees and churches which serve the people in different ways. Major Lewis also challenged the group to be mindful of the fact that "everything we do today is of little value, unless we prepare those who are going to succeed us in the future."
He lauded the teachers for their dedicated your lives to something that does not pay very well. But we recognise that you have a chance to instil discipline in our children through a solid educational foundation and ultimately pass on a vision that they can make something of themselves. There is so much to be hopeless about, but under God and with our creativity, the next generation can be better than the present," Major Lewis continued.
On arrival, the teachers were greeted with corsages by executives of Jamaica Broilers Group - Major Lewis; Claudette Cooke; vice-president of Human Resources and Public Relations and Pamella Russell, field operations manager for Best Dressed Chicken Poultry Division, who also served the teachers hors d'oeuvres and the main meal under a huge tent. The teachers were also presented with gifts, compliments of Jamaica Broilers Group.
Students from the Spring Garden All-Age, McCook Pen Primary and Ruby Madden Basic Schools entertained. Master of ceremonies was Ken Vanhorne, managing director of Best Dressed Chicken Feed Mill.
