Close to one hundred children of all ages from the community of Mona Commons in Papine enjoyed a massive New Year’s/Back-to-school treat on Saturday, organized by reggae singer Fabian Marley and his management, Massive Entertainment Group.
“It’s hard to tell who enjoyed it more – we or the kids,” Marley’s manager, Clayton Thomas said.
The treat had been in the planning stages for months, with Thomas and his wife Jamie, who are both based in the US, packing several barrels to ship to Jamaica and ensuring that they would all be cleared through customs in time for the big day. And what a day it was!
Bounce-abouts of all descriptions decorated the field; the water slide was a hit and so too were the numerous other rides that attracted the eager, bright-eyed children. In abundance too, were the edible treats which the kids just could not get enough of.
“The look on the children’s faces was a joy to behold. They loved the rides, they enjoyed the food and they were so thankful. It made all the planning and the work worthwhile,” Fabian Marley noted, while heaping praise on his manager Clayton, who he pointed out is not even from Jamaica, yet he went all out to ensure that the kids were given royal treatment.
“Clayton isn’t doing this for recognition…this is purely from the heart and I respect that. He could have sent the stuff and have someone hand them out, but no. Clayton was there in person and he was excited and involved in every stage — the planning, the packaging and the giving out,” Marley explained.
The organizers handed out care packages to the children which included toiletries, books and musical instruments.
And they served a whopping 250 hot dogs. “It was just incredible. I couldn’t believe t hese kids could have eaten so much,” Thomas said with a laugh.
Thomas, who stated that giving back is not an option, it is “compulsory”, is already planning the next treat, which he promises will be even bigger and better than this one.
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