Guests partner with Sandals to clean beach

IN AN unprecedented show of community spirit, guests vacationing at Sandals Grande Riviera volunteered their service to clean up the Fisherman's Beach in St Ann's Bay last Thursday, in solidarity with the Sandals Foundation.

The visitors worked hand in hand with Sandals managers, team members and members of the fishing community, cleaning the beach.

Garbage and debris regularly flow from the drains and gullies of the town onto the beach, hence the need for constant cleaning.

"We are very happy that the Sandals Foundation continues to help clean the beach," Claire Shaw, a community member pointed out. "We help ourselves and clean (it) when we can, but it is good that other people see it fit to help us. The Sandals team is regularly here and, now they have brought guests with them, we are just so appreciative."

The clean-up team, armed with rakes and garbage bags, converged on the beach from early morning and spent the better part of the day on the clean up exercise.

Bud and Kathy Jordan, from Texas , USA, who were on their ninth visit to Sandals Grande Riviera, said they were very happy to be a part of the beach-cleaning exercise.

"This is the first time we have been invited out on a community effort like this and we are quite happy to be a part of this amazing experience, " he noted. "As you see, I walk with a cane so I couldn't do as much as I wanted to, but I did my part and my wife also played a major role," he added.

Giving back

"We just love Jamaica and its people and this is just our small way of giving back to the community. We certainly wish we could do more," said Jordan.

The Jordans also praised the role of the Sandals Foundation in helping the less fortunate in the community. "We are happy to holiday with a company that gives back," they said.

Ian Spencer, Sandals' regional public relations manager noted: "Working in this area, we are very committed to the environment. Trash is not all we collect. We also collect information to keep track of the type of garbage and its source. With this information, solutions can be created to solve the problem. This is a continuation of the programme the Sandals Foundation has set out for the parishes of St Ann and St Mary, and there is a lot more to be done."