VILMA LAWES MUNROE MEMORIAL PULLS HUNDREDS, FOR HEALTH TOO
Scores of teachers, mainly from the northeastern region of Jamaica, participated in the Vilma Lawes Munroe Memorial 5K Run/Walk in St Mary recently.
The Run/Walk that took place on Sunday, April 14, was in honour of Mrs Lawes Munroe, late educator, and Regional Officer for the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) North East Region, comprising St Ann, St Mary, and Portland. She died suddenly in 2007.
The event started at Trinity Primary School, after a 7 a.m. warm up, and ended at the Vilma Lawes Munroe Building, JTA North East Regional Office, Little Bay, Port Maria.
The event, conceived by former JTA President Howard Isaacs, was launched in 2017 and has been staged annually except for the COVID-19 years, 2020, 2021 and 2023. Mr Isaacs pushed the idea of the event to also heighten awareness of health and wellness among teachers.
(Awaiting instructions to go)
Among the more than 300 teachers, most of them from St Mary, who participated in the event, were officers and administrative staff members of the JTA including President Leighton Johnson; Immediate Past President LaSonja Harrison; Secretary General, Dr Mark Nicely; Deputy Secretary General Clayton Hall and Regional Officers.
Devon Meek, Regional Officer for the JTA Northeast Region and Chairman of the Vilma Lawes-Munroe 5K organizing committee, told North Coast Times that he was pleased with the turnout and general support of teachers. He expressed gratitude to all the supporters of the event.
(Focussed… heading through Port Maria)
The top three performers, male, were 1st Sanjay Ivery, 2nd Andre Smith, and 3rd Shevorn Folkes. Among the females 1st Chantae Warren, 2nd Romeann Gray and 3rd Bianca Bryan.
(Coming home)
Patron was Christine Day one of the 4×400 Metres Gold medalists in the 2015 Bejing World Championship. Ms Day is from St Mary and a past student of Mrs Lawes Munroe and of Tacky High School. Also in attendance was Jamaican 400m hurdler and four-time IAAF Diamond League winner Kaliese Spencer-Carter.
(Regional Officr Devon Meek, left, thanking the patron Christine Day)
The title sponsor was TIP Friendly Society. Other sponsors were Jamaica Producers Ltd, Criticare Ambulance Services, Lifespan Water Company, and Blue Mountain Spring Water. Donations were also received from JTA Co-operative Credit Union Ltd and National Commercial Bank.
