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Spare a thought for Sefton this season
Paul Reid
Thursday, December 27, 2007
For some of us, Christmas is less about the commercial trappings and looking out for what we get and more about family and what we can give to and do for those who are not able to help themselves.
Sefton Lawrence
In every stratum and sphere of our existence there will be those who are better off than we are, and then there will be those who are not as blessed as we are.
Then there are those who, despite giving all or most of their lives to helping others, oftentimes need our help. In some cases these individuals are either too proud to ask or maybe they don't think we will care.
In sports in western Jamaica we have been blessed through the years by individuals who have given their all to their particular sport, either as a competitor, administrator or official or all of the above.
One such individual is Sefton Lawrence whose name is ubiquitous with netball and basketball, having served as head of the parish and regional association for both. Sefton has also served track and field as a time keeper and official at most major meets both here in western Jamaica and nationally.
To cut to the meat of the matter, he is not doing so well this Christmas and he needs our help.
Sefton is suffering from a variety of ailments including diabetes, glaucoma and high blood pressure, and the last thing I heard was that he has been diagnosed as legally blind in one eye.
Additionally his medical bills are piling up and while a number of sporting organisations, including the St James Netball Association and private individuals have started giving, it would be a shame on all the sporting organisations he has served so selflessly all these years if something tangible was not done and done soon to help one of our most loyal servants.
In additional to netball and basketball, track and field, the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) and even football has benefited from Sefton's unselfish love of sports over the past three decades since he moved to Montego Bay from Hanover where he attended Rusea's High.
His work has not gone un-noticed, however, and at the recent Awards Ceremony of the St James Netball Association's Hart And Sons Senior League, Charles Stephenson spoke from the heart about how much Sefton has impacted on his life and helped him make the choice to get into sports administration.
No doubt Sefton in his humble and unassuming way has helped some boy or girl in making healthy choices along the way.
As outgoing president of the Netball Association Rita Spence said at the Awards Ceremony, let's not wait until it is too late to show our appreciation to Sefton for the work he has done. At only 51 years old he has a lot left to give to us, but can only do it if he is healthy.
Paul Reid
Thursday, December 27, 2007
For some of us, Christmas is less about the commercial trappings and looking out for what we get and more about family and what we can give to and do for those who are not able to help themselves.
Sefton LawrenceIn every stratum and sphere of our existence there will be those who are better off than we are, and then there will be those who are not as blessed as we are.
Then there are those who, despite giving all or most of their lives to helping others, oftentimes need our help. In some cases these individuals are either too proud to ask or maybe they don't think we will care.
In sports in western Jamaica we have been blessed through the years by individuals who have given their all to their particular sport, either as a competitor, administrator or official or all of the above.
One such individual is Sefton Lawrence whose name is ubiquitous with netball and basketball, having served as head of the parish and regional association for both. Sefton has also served track and field as a time keeper and official at most major meets both here in western Jamaica and nationally.
To cut to the meat of the matter, he is not doing so well this Christmas and he needs our help.
Sefton is suffering from a variety of ailments including diabetes, glaucoma and high blood pressure, and the last thing I heard was that he has been diagnosed as legally blind in one eye.
Additionally his medical bills are piling up and while a number of sporting organisations, including the St James Netball Association and private individuals have started giving, it would be a shame on all the sporting organisations he has served so selflessly all these years if something tangible was not done and done soon to help one of our most loyal servants.
In additional to netball and basketball, track and field, the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) and even football has benefited from Sefton's unselfish love of sports over the past three decades since he moved to Montego Bay from Hanover where he attended Rusea's High.
His work has not gone un-noticed, however, and at the recent Awards Ceremony of the St James Netball Association's Hart And Sons Senior League, Charles Stephenson spoke from the heart about how much Sefton has impacted on his life and helped him make the choice to get into sports administration.
No doubt Sefton in his humble and unassuming way has helped some boy or girl in making healthy choices along the way.
As outgoing president of the Netball Association Rita Spence said at the Awards Ceremony, let's not wait until it is too late to show our appreciation to Sefton for the work he has done. At only 51 years old he has a lot left to give to us, but can only do it if he is healthy.