Date: April
13, 2010
BGLC BRINGS
JOY TO REDDIE’S CHILDREN
From A breezy classroom with the twenty young Wards of Reddie’s
Place of Safety in Rollington Town, Kingston, a welcome sound of laughter could
be heard rippling through the wind, during a recent Treat hosted and catered by
The Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Commission (BGLC) Staff Outreach Foundation. Mr. Leslie Wright, Director of the Betting
Division at the BGLC and Chairman of the Foundation, led the group of eight
Outreach Committee Members to provide lunch, clown entertainment, face
painting, animal balloons, and to enjoy the children’s performances in song. He
explained the purpose of the Treat: “The BGLC Outreach Foundation has been
doing two treats per year at Reddie’s Place of Safety for ??
years now because these kids are here at a brief but very critical period of
change in their lives, when they need all the courage, support and relief they
can get to take them through the uncertain days ahead of them. The Foundation
does everything it can to give the kids some good cheer and to remind them that
there are persons outside of these walls who also want the best for them and
wish them strength through these times.”
The BGLC has been providing support in cash and kind
since 1996 to Reddie’s Place of Safety, a transitional home for children in
need of care and protection. Through the
years, the BGLC Outreach Foundation has supplied renovations to bathrooms and
the kitchen, provided a 600 gallon water tank, built a perimeter wall to secure
the premises and supplied basic items such as beds, meat, cleaning agents,
food, clothing toys, Christmas gifts, and Christmas and Easter Treats for the
children. Funds are collected monthly by voluntary salary deduction from all Staff
of BGLC, supplemented by additional donations by staff to specific events. The Foundation
contingent for the Treat included Mr. Claude Samuels, Mr. Denrick Williams, Ms.
Elaine Arthurs, Ms. Lorraine James, Miss Kareen
White, Miss Victoria Higgins and Mrs. Charmaine Ffrench-Gayle.
Celebrating its 40th Anniversary, Reddie’s is
a licensed Early Childhood Institution, run by Mrs. Clover Reddie-Brown,
Founder and Manager.
.../2
BGLC BRINGS
JOY CONT’D.../2
Reddie-Brown recalls being encouraged in 1970 to create
the facility for children who are removed from an untenable home situation by the
Family Court or the Police. Her aim was to create a nurturing home for these
children for up to approximately three months, where children could be safe
with caregivers who would work to ensure all their needs are met, while the
courts identify a permanent home for them, be that in a Children’s orphanage, a
foster or adoptive home, or to return to their biological family. The facility started with 8 kids aged between
2 and 5 years old.
Mrs. Reddie-Brown explained their role: “Our Staff of
five caregivers and practitioners try to ensure that for the short time they
are here, all the children’s needs are met. We see to it that they are
comfortable, and well rounded individuals for the future, following our Mission
– to give love and motivation, to challenge their intellect and to develop
leadership skills in our children.” She went on to say that the facility is based
on Christian principles, and that the little ones are supported with love and
encouragement with an emphasis on building their faith through their
challenging times with the support and habit of prayer and singing songs of
praise.
On the day of the BGLC Treat, Reddie’s housed 19
children, ranging between 3 and 11 years old. Said Reddie-Brown about the
regular holiday Treats hosted by the Commission, “BGLC brings joy to our children!
You can hear them in there laughing and screaming enjoying themselves!” She
praised the assistance given by the BGLC over the years, stating, “They helped
us recover from the storm, if it were not for them I don’t know what we would
do because the other sources of funds do not allow us to do all the extras we
want to supply for our kids, so we are always appreciative of the help they
give us, and we pray they can continue to give love and support to the kids in
their treats like the one today! The BGLC is welcome any time!”
House Mother Ms. Janice Reddie corroborated this
sentiment: “The Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Commission has been there for us
when we really needed the help, especially the water tank has been a great
blessing, so we give praises for the BGLC!”
~ 30 ~
Contact:
Jana Bent, Manager, Communications and
Research, Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Commission
17 Ruthven Road; Kingston 10; Phone: (876)
960-1549 ext 301; Email: jana.bent@bglc.gov.jm
Date: April 13, 2010