I Love MoBay hosts latest movie night
Scores of families from across St James turned out for the third staging of the I Love MoBay ‘Movies In The Park’ initiative at the Old Hospital Park in Montego Bay last Friday.
The event, which is held on the last Friday of each month, was rolled out earlier this year as stakeholders sought ways of restoring community spirit among locals, with special emphasis placed on bringing families and friends together in one space as murders and serious crimes in the tourist capital have risen to frightening proportions.
When WESTERN STAR arrived at the venue, blankets were all over the well-manicured lawn as the young ones participated in traditional Jamaican games or took turns on the bounceabout under the watchful eyes of parents and guardians.
“We are very pleased with the turnout. We have seen the event grow over the last three months ... there are literally hundreds here tonight,” said T’Shura Gibbs, executive director of the I Love MoBay Foundation. “It is great to see the participation of the families, the children, and everybody trying to ‘find Dory’ tonight”, a reference to the movie.
The I Love MoBay Foundation partners with several corporate entities, including Sandals Resorts, Spanish Court Hotel, the Tourism Enhancement Fund, OCEAN Style Magazine, Remax Elite, and Billy Craig Insurance, but Gibbs said that the foundation is moving to be self-sustainable.
“What we realise about similar activities is that they start, but they wane because there isn’t the funding to support it, and we do have some sponsors who have come on board, and we do appreciate them,” Gibbs said. “But what we have done is that we are also creating I Love MoBay memorabilia, and we are selling them. We just want to also be in a position to sustain ourselves so that this vision does not die.”
The I Love MoBay initiative is also used to showcase and celebrate the achievements of the citizens of the tourist capital, while focusing on five key pillars of education and mentorship sports, entertainment, arts, and culture; civic pride; and environmental awareness.