Jamaica Gleaner

Jamaica Blind Society set to benefit from Everyone’s A Winner 3k and 5k

MEMBERS OF Jamaica’s blind society are to benefit from this year’s The Best Dressed Chicken/ Everyone’s A Winner 3K and 5K races set for Father’s Day, Sunday, June 16, at the Hope Botanical Gardens, beginning at 6 a.m.

To mark the occasion, visually impaired Senator Floyd Morris is expected to be among the contingent of visually impaired participan­ts at the event.

According to race director Alfred ‘Frano’ Francis, part of the proceeds from the event will go to the Jamaica Society for the Blind’s Scholarshi­p Fund“to provide financial assistance to sight-challenged students from fourth to fifth forms and final-year tertiary students”.

Another recipient of the funds raised by The Best Dressed Chicken/Everyone’s A Winner 3K and 5K races will be Latoya Butler, 21-year-old daughter of a long-servicing employee at The Best Dressed Chicken, battling leukemia.

“At The Best Dressed Chicken, we are all about supporting our community. The Everyone’s A Winner Father’s Day race is a perfect example of how we come together as a team each year to contribute to a great cause. This year, in particular, is even closer to home as a portion of the funds raised will go towards cancer treatments for the daughter of one of our team members. Giving back is a part of who we are, and we’re inviting Jamaica to join us as we stand together to help anchor Latoya on her journey to good health,” said Arielle Oliver, brand manager, The Best Dressed Chicken.

Francis noted that last year’s beneficiar­y of proceeds from The

Best Dressed Chicken/Everyone’s A Winner race, Raje, now 13 years old, is on the road to recovery and is a student of Glenmuir High School. He was diagnosed with Stage 4 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, which affects the lymphatic system, and needed a stem cell transplant.

This year’s Father’s Day event will offer a boutique race experience for individual­s, families, and teams from corporate Jamaica aimed at improving their performanc­e and overall health.

The event is limited to 3,000 participan­ts, who will receive a shirt upon Bbib collection, and a medal at the finish line, while the top three father-and-child duos in the 3K and 5K races will be presented with special trophies.

Also among the prizes will be free passes to Hope Zoo for the fastest children under 12 in addition to trophies for the overall male and female winners in first, second, and third places.

Running teams will once again compete for the Roy Thomas Trophy, honouring the veteran road racer who has been an inspiratio­n to the Jamaican roadracing community.

Race organiser Running Events Jamaica has promised post-race favourites such as tastings and refreshmen­ts, massages, a misting station, and health checks by the Heart Foundation of Jamaica, culminatin­g with an awards presentati­on ceremony.

Sponsors include Running Events Jamaica, The Best Dressed Chicken, The Jamaica Observer, Catherine’s Peak, Gatorade, Salada, Pure Country, JP Farms, Purity, Chas E Ramson, Bella Oasis, The Art Printery, and the Heart Foundation of Jamaica.