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Four Jamaica Premier League (JPL) teams will join forces to take part in the ‘Kicking for Recovery’ charity event, a collaboration between Jamaica’s entertainment and sporting industries aimed towards Hurricane Melissa relief efforts.
Two-time reigning JPL champions Cavalier, Mount Pleasant Football Academy, Arnett Gardens and Waterhouse will compete in short-format exhibition matches at the National Stadium on November 28.
The games will be a part of a fundraising event which will also see a number of entertainers performing throughout the afternoon.
O’Neil Walters, founder and director of PPIVOTT LLC, one of the leading entities behind the event, said the goal is to stand in solidarity for those affected by Hurricane Melissa and to support the recovery efforts.
“It is solidarity for the victims of Hurricane Melissa - solidarity around the sport, solidarity for the players and families affected,” Walters explained.
“There will be the opportunity to stand in solidarity at the National Stadium next week Friday night as we show the world how resilient a people we are, rallying around sport and entertainment, which we are known for globally, to rebuild Jamaica.”
National icon
David Shirley, deputy chairman of Independence Park Limited (IPL), said they are proud to be able to host the event at the National Stadium
Shirley said, with the National Stadium standing as a national icon for Jamaica, it was only fitting for the games to be held at the venue, to support the Jamaican people affected by Hurricane Melissa.
“All of us here, we owe a lot to sports in different capacities and I think it is a great time for us to band together and put all our efforts moving in the same direction,” he said.
“... I’ve spoken with Major Brown and we’re going to do everything we can to keep the expenses at a minimum because I insisted this is our opportunity to play a part in this recovery.”
All four teams will compete in 40-minute games in a round-robin format starting at 5 p.m., with the gates expected to open at 4 p.m.
Bleachers tickets will cost $1,500 while tickets to the grandstand will cost $3,500.
Games will be live-streamed across several platforms, including TVJ, TVJ Sports Network, 1SpotMedia, 1Luv TV and Hitz92 FM.
Rudolph Speid, Cavalier’s head coach, welcomed the event, as he said it is a great way for teams to support the island’s recovery efforts.
“We are, as a football club, a part of this journey and a lot of our players are affected,” he said.
“Our budget is really tight for us to contribute directly, so we were really happy that this opportunity came about so that we could really contribute in a tangible way.”
LENDING SUPPORT
The charity event has also earned the support of several corporate sponsors who are ready to lend a helping hand.
One such partner is the RG CARES Foundation, the charitable arm of the RJRGLEANER Communications Group.
Ransford Ricketts, head of TV Business at RJRGLEANER, said they partnered with the event as it aligned with their values of helping others.
“We’re a group of companies that care about the people and that’s why the name is RG CARES. It demonstrates who we are and, whatever we do, we’re genuine about it,” he said.
“As best as is possible, we’re lending the support of the group to bring the information out there to get persons to donate far and wide, so that we can bring hope, we can bring life, and we can help those who are resilient in their fight to come out of this destruction.”
Other major partners with the charity event include the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), TankWeld, KISWE, 1Luv TV, the Black Excellence Alliance, and the Sizzla Youth Foundation.
English (US) ·