In a message read by the Custos of St. James. Hon. Clarence Nelson at the Home’s annual Open Day last Thursday, Sir Howard said this “confirms most forcefully, that love can change a life.” He implored the staff “to remain faithful to this mission, as invest­ment in these children is an investment in the future of our country.”

The Governor General said he was “very pleased with the growth that has taken place at Home of Charlotte’s Children, through the dedication of the management and staff and the cooperation of the children”. He congratulated the founder/president, Mrs. Beulah Plowright-Buzzi “for her passion to expand the vi­sion of the Home, enabling the children to acquire and develop musical skills with the help of Italian volunteers.”

US Secretary of State, General Colin Powell who was àlso invited as a friend of the Home, sent his “sincere regrets to the youngsters” from Washington as ‘my calendar here at the State Department offers me scant freedom to take on additional engagements.”

Custos Nelson also commended the Home, noting that, “it is about looking after the future of all of us.” According to him, “a quiet revolution is taking place here at the Home of Charlotte’s Children,” adding that, “the potential is great.” He said there was a need for the Home to be duplicated in several other communities “and in the course of time all our children will be provided for.”

Custos Nelson stressed that, “children are our future, let us preserve them, let us protect them, let us care for them; let us give to them what some of us never had!

Commending service clubs that have been supporting the Home, he noted that 2001 has been designed by the United Nations as the “Year of Volunteerism”, and opined that: volunteerism has got to be the way forward for us because no government now or in the future will be able to provide all the social facilities that we need.”

In overview of the operations of the Home over the past year, Mrs. Buzzi said there were eleven children who have been placed there by the Children Services Division of the Ministry of Health. However, “we continue to extend our assistance to children of this community, reaching a total of 65 children helped thus far.”

Mrs. Buzzi expressed appreciation to the Rotary Clubs of Montego Bay, Montego Bay East and Milano Sud-Ovest for their collaboration in furnishing the Home with computers and accessories; the Kiwanis Club of Providence for the creation of an in-house library; the Good Shepherd Foundation; Sandals mn, W&W Electronics Ltd. and the many other organizations and individuals who have helped in various ways.

She also disclosed that the Home had an active Big Brother/Big Sister Volunteer Programme involving high school students in Montego Bay. The programme is coordinated by guidance counsellor, Ms Pat Powell of Montego Bay High School.

In addition, each year, a group of university students from Italy volunteer part of their summer holiday to come to Jamaica and interact with the children in art and craft, recreation and other activities.

Highlight of the day’s activities was the annual “Quiz Show 2001” in which the children, guided by their in-house teacher Pauline Wilson, expressed themselves in poetry, geography, spelling, languages and maths, much to the delight of the largely adult audience.

Delivering the closing remarks, Catholic Bishop of Montego Bay, Charles Dufour disclosed that the Good Shepherd Foundation, which he founded, and the Canadian-based Brenda Strafford Foundation, would be expanding their community outreach programme at Albion in Montego Bay.

He said the children at Home of Charlotte’s Children would soon be getting additional benefits with the construction of a facility offering dental, medical and hospital services on the property

The Open Day concluded with a tour of the Home and of the small but healthy vegetable garden, which is nurtured by the children themselves. The visitors commented positively on the corn, okras, callaloo, peas, pumpkins and tomatoes being grown in the Home’s backyard garden.

Visitors were given a surprise as in addition to treats contributed by Sandals Inn, Butterflake Pastry Viennese Pastry and Jamaica Beverages Ltd., they were treated to Charlotte’s Children specialty, homemade passion fruit ice cream.