Principal Erwin Leacock (rear left, in sunglasses) received the football gear from AA’s Caribbean Employee Resource Group’s Maryellen Goldsmith (next to Mr. Leacock). Witnessing the presentation were Ms. Minh Luo (front) a group member; as well as Assistant Director of the National Sports Council, Adrian Donavan, (far right) and AA’s Country Manager Wellesley Joseph (rear right).
Thanks to a “handful of American Airline employees in North Carolina”, the boys of the Government Industrial School can now play in football tournaments because of uniforms donated by this “little group of volunteers”.
Mr. Erwin Leacock, Principal of the St. Philip correctional home for boys, has welcomed the gift of 29 boxes of jerseys, shorts and athletic shoes from the employees of the North Carolina Reservations Centre and American Airlines.
“This donation of various sizes, colours and styles of soccer uniforms,” said Mr. Leacock, “is a welcome gift. It will greatly assist the sports component of our correctional education programme. We view correctional education as preparation for life; and sports is a very integral part of that.”
Ms. Maryellen Goldsmith, leader of the volunteer members of the Caribbean Resource Group, said the school’s former athletic coach Michael Foster got word to them of the need for the gear. She added: ”Word of mouth is a wondrous thing. Who would have thought that a handful of American Airline employees in North Carolina could have heard of a need in Barbados and be able to fill it?”
Along with Mission Sporting Goods, a supplier of athletic gear, they were able to present the soccer uniforms to the National Sports Council and the Government Industrial School so the boys can train, practice and compete with other teams.