MAY PEN, CLARENDON:

The Jamaica Aluminium Company (Jamalco) is continuing their involvement in promoting educational programmes in the country by trying to stem the increase in the juvenile delinquency.

The bauxite company will begin a mentorship programme for students at Vere Technical High School in Hayes, Clarendon, in the 2008/9 academic year.

Jamalco's corporate services and government affairs manager, Leo Lambert, announced the plan on April 10 during a ceremony to hand over a new guardhouse to the school.

Lambert said the mentorship programme would pair Jamalco's managers with students the school's administration identifies as "experiencing some challenges and who need guidance and support".

He said Jamalco's mentors would help the students not only to perform academically, but also to strive for excellence in extracurricular activities. Discipline, Lambert explained, would play a big role in those achievements.

Lambert said that the Jamalco team believed that no one was beyond redemption.

- Angella Chin

ST ANN'S BAY, ST ANN:

The United Lifeline Deliverance Church of God in St Ann's Bay celebrated its 23rd anniversary with a marathon thanksgiving service at the church last Sunday.

Friends, associates and well-wishers joined members of the Lifeline congregation in celebrating the growth and development of the church into one of the largest religious organisations in St Ann's Bay.

Since its inception, according to the church secretary and evangelist, Paulette Barnes, the United Lifeline church has done more than just save souls.

The education outreach programme has given much needed financial assistance to children in the area and between 2006 and 2007; over $170,000 in assistance was donated to students.

Evangelist Barnes also said the church, which is the local representative of Food For the Poor, has been providing food items and other supplies to needy people across the parish.

- Devon Evans

SPANISH TOWN, ST. CATHERINE:

Sections of St Catherine were abuzz with activity as persons turned out in their numbers to carry out Labour Day exercises.

The Gleaner news team took to the streets, starting from the Spanish Town courthouse, where police personnel and court staff joined together to clean and repaint.

Teachers at Crescent Primary painted the pedestrian crossing. At Orangefield district, residents repainted the postal agency and bus stop in the town square, while at the community centre, which houses the basic school and health centre, residents provided a facelift with paint and new tiles, courtesy of a $50,000-donation from Windalco.

Meanwhile, at the Bog Walk police station, scores of Kiwanians, youth clubites, police personnel and member of the Florida Ex-police Association were seen cleaning and repainting the guardroom, the barracks room and other areas of the police station.

According to Kiwanis president, Avis Jarrett-Miller, the aim of the exercise was to continue to contribute to making the work of the police force easier.

The president also said that a number of stations have been refurbished by the association over the last five years.

- R.T.

MANDEVILLE, MANCHESTER:

Labour Day for many in the parish was just another day off from the job with very few persons participating in any projects.

Unlike years gone by, it was difficult to find anyone, particularly from the community level carrying out the traditional clean up and beautification exercises, which were the hallmarks of past labour days.

However, the lives of the patients of the Manchester Infirmary, in Grey Ground district, were made brighter by the members of the Manchester Parish Council who gave the facility a facelift.

The members of the Rotary Club of Mandeville also turned out at the New Greene Primary and Junior High School where they painted several classrooms.

Despite the low activity, Jamalco won the hearts of the people of Prattville, in south Manchester, when it came to the assistance of 73-year-old Hervin Lord, who has been without a home since Hurricane Dean.

Lord lost a section of his small house during Hurricane Ivan and before he could complete repairs, Hurricane Dean destroyed the structure.

His plight came to the attention of Jamalco shortly after the company completed reconstructing a $70-million main road in the community, which passed by what was left of his house. The project cost almost $1 million.