Wise women rock for charity

Barrington Flemming, Gleaner Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:

Scores of businessmen and members of the diaspora converged at the Hilton Guest House, St Leonard's, in Westmoreland on Sunday for the 10th staging of the Wise Women Club's Luncheon and Fun Day.

The event is held annually by the club to raise funds to assist tertiary students in the western city with tuition and other fees through bursaries granted by the club.

Fundraising Director Rita Hilton said this year's event was an overwhelming success, surpassing the expectations of the organisers.

"I think the word has gotten around about the work we do with needy students. A lot of our students are in tremendous need, so we do this to help offset the costs associated with tertiary education," said Hilton.

Hilton said the students are interviewed and selected for the grants and are required to volunteer at some events staged by the club and attain good grades in their studies.

She said for the next school year, the Wise Women Club would be assisting 11 students (eight girls and three boys) from both campuses of the Montego Bay Community College.

"We will be paying out more than $1 million in fees this year," said Hilton.

SECOND FUNDRAISER

Chairman of the Wise Women Club, Denise Dear, said she was happy for the strong support and expressed the hope that the club's other fundraiser, scheduled for November, would receive similar or greater support.

"We are hosting another fundraiser in November, which will include artistes from Montego Bay, so we hope that it will go very well so we can continue to support our wonderful young people. I am happy for the support of this function," she said.

Patrons at the luncheon and fun day feasted on sumptuous oven-roasted suckling pig (done in a traditional stone oven), baked chicken, a variety of salads, and a variety of desserts.

The bar was also awash with juices and other non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages.

Some men played dominoes and children played games while other patrons bought items from the Montego Bay Girls Brigade, which had mounted a booth. There were also other booths, including one dedicated to natural products made from peanuts, juices, and tonics boiled and extracted from herbs and fresh fruits.