H&L Duhaney Park sponsorship about community – stakeholders
Published:Sunday | January 26, 2025 | 12:11 AMLivingston Scott - Gleaner Writer
THE DUHANEY Park Football Club and Rapid True Value Hardware and Lumber (H&L) signed off on a five-year partnership, valued at $9 million, and managing director of H&L, Marcus Richards, said the investment was about more than just the club, it was about deepening relations with the community.
Richards said the company has been involved in supporting the community for many years, including sponsoring and supporting the adjacent health centre and Community Development Committee (CDC). Adding the football club to that list was taking their involvement a step further.
“This is about Hardware and Lumber deepening its involvement with Duhaney Park. We have adopted the health clinic in Duhaney Park. We did that years ago. We have also been supportive of the Duhaney Park CDC, and now we are adding a third pillar to our relationship, which is the football club.
“This is supporting the club over a sponsorship. This is getting support from Duhaney Park Football Club for our own business house league, which we intend to relaunch this year,” he said.
He declared that he anticipates a long and lasting relationship with the club, and that his organisation will assist with off-the-field development as well.
“This is the beginning of a very long relationship with the football club. In our first instance, the commitment is for five years.
“We are not just supporting the team but the bonds that make this community thrive. We are investing in daily and weekend traditions because the football club is really the custodian of a facility that serves the community,” he said.
The company is also assisting with the physical development of the facility, and Richards said there are plans to upgrade the netball/basketball court as well.
“Because of how the facility is structured and centred, we are also looking at the embracing of the netball court, which is part of the complex. So there is more work to be done there.
“This is really about how you curate talent to the fullest definition of the word. Not just as athletes but as human beings. How we take good men and make them great men. Teach them discipline, team work, service above self. For that I say ‘Thank you and congratulations’. And I am proud to be a part of this on so many levels, and grateful that we are able to be a part of this,” he told a gathering at the company’s Spanish Town Road base.
Duhaney Park FC president Darrington Ferguson and club director Cryton Walker echoed similar sentiments.
“This signing today is not just for football but for the entire community of Duhaney Park, because football is one of the major sports that brings people together, and our youths in our community.
“Because of the significant impact, that is why we look to keep developing and keep supporting this type of talent. So it’s not just about signing and supporting, it’s about developing our youths and to continue to have an impact on our community.
“We welcome your support and want to hold it with both hands and make sure, whatever we do, we do it with Hardware and Lumber in mind,” said Ferguson
Walker added that: “I really want to express my thanks to Marcus and his team. It has been a long time coming and now it’s actually here. But it is a little less about football and facility and more about a partnership that saves lives.”