Let’s continue to empower our youth

THE SPECTACULAR Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in New Kingston will once again host the most highly anticipated social event, the JCC Sameer Younis Foundation Grand Charity Ball, on Saturday, November 5, beginning at 6:30 p.m.

This year’s milestone staging is being held under the theme: ‘35 Years of Developing Future Leaders’.

Governor General Sir Patrick Allen and Lady Allen have again consented to being the distinguished patrons, and will head the list of specially invited guests, including Prime Minister Andrew Holness and Juliet Holness.

The ball will also be used to formally launch the JCC Sameer Younis Foundation, named in honour of longstanding chairman of the Charity Ball’s Organising Committee, Sameer Younis, OJ, CD, JP.

Headline sponsors include: Supreme Ventures Limited, The Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, J. Wray and Nephew Limited and Chas. E. Ramson.

Patrons are guaranteed to once again have a marvellous time, as the organisers are taking every step to ensure that JCC Sameer Younis Foundation Grand Charity Ball 2016 surpasses all others as the most memorable to be staged in its 35-year history.

The evening will kick off with the customary cocktails after which the JCC Sameer Younis Foundation will be formally launched. Dancing and dinner will follow the launch and guests will be treated to an exquisite cabaret show with scintillating performances by vocalist Gem Myers, accompanied by timeless musical exponents, Fab 5 Band.

They will, undoubtedly, set the tone for the remainder of the evening which features, among other things, dancing to the band’s repertoire of unmatched hits.

Guests will also have chances to win one of nine attractive prizes up for grabs. They include airline tickets, compliments of American Airlines and Caribbean Airlines; weekend for two, compliments of Half Moon Hotel, Sandals Resort in Jamaica, Couples Resort, Super Clubs; Jamaica spa Chairman Sameer Younis and his wife, Leila, at last year's JCC Sameer Younis Grand Charity Ball.

experience compliments of Adam & Eve Day Spa; dinner for two courtesy of Spanish Court Hotel and brunch for two compliments of Terra Nova All Suite Hotel.

The proceedings will be expertly and smoothly guided by master of

ceremonies, Dr Aggrey Irons at the helm.

Younis advises that the beneficiaries of the proceeds will be the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce’s Inner-City Development projects, and the JCC Sameer Younis Foundation Life and Family Values Campaign. SOME LEADERS are born while others develop over time. Either way, they play very important roles in advancing whatever engagements they participate in.

For the past 35 years, the JCC Sameer Younis Foundation (formerly known as The Jamaica Chamber of Commerce Civic Affairs Committee) has been steadfast in its mission of assisting Jamaica’s youth, particularly those in innercity communities, to reposition themselves as productive citizens.

We have consistently assisted them to achieve this by incorporating these persons and other stakeholders in activities, such as the Leadership Training Programme.

This is undertaken three times a year, and brings together some 50 inner-city residents with 10 members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), for a six-week training course.

It teaches them human and inter-personal relations, conflict resolution, anger management, family life values, and entrepreneurship, among other things.

As a Foundation, we recognise the importance of this and other engagements and their effectiveness in shaping the participants’ future, particularly the young people, and, by extension, that of Jamaica.

The Foundation is, indeed, thankful to all of the companies and persons who have supported the event over the years and continue to do so.

Your support has enabled us to ensure that we can and will continue to reach out and assist as many persons as is possible.

We are mindful of the need for strong leadership in Jamaica and are grateful that you have all turned out this evening to join us as we celebrate ‘35 Years of Developing Future Leaders’

I invite us to re-dedicate ourselves, as a society, to provide the level of support for our youth, who are, indeed, the foundation of Jamaica’s emerging leadership. Sameer Younis Chairman Sameer Younis Foundation