A hearty toast was raised in celebration of women across several Westmoreland communities in recognition of this year’s International Women’s Day.

In the midst of the mundane, unsuspecting women were pleasantly surprised by a team of 19 enthusiastic volunteers from Sandals and Beaches Negril. Nearly 100 women were generously gifted with personalised bottles of wine, warm smiles, and kind words of affirmation. 

The annual initiative is geared towards honouring women from all walks of life and expressing gratitude for their invaluable contribution to the society at large. This year, the Sandals and Beaches team adopted a grassroots approach as they ardently ventured into generally neglected areas along the Negril to Savanna-la-Mar terrain. 

Among the many highlights of the endeavour was the spirited visit to the Savanna-la-Mar outpost of the Women’s Centre of Jamaica Foundation. There, the team was able to genuinely connect with the cohort of young women currently being groomed at the facility.

“Through this ongoing partnership, [Sandals and Beaches Negril] have been providing tangible as well as emotional support for our ladies here at the centre,” commented Melissa Boothe – Anderson, the current centre manager of the site. “We are very thankful today, on International Women’s Day, for the visit by the team,” she said. 

The consensus was resounding outside of the confines of the women’s centre as well. Salome Fairclough, a grateful recipient of one of the many thoughtful tokens of appreciation, was moved beyond words by the gesture.

“This is truly wonderful,” she gushed. “I have never been acknowledged on Women’s Day before so I am extremely happy with this gift,” she continued.

The resorts, through the extended reach of the Sandals Foundation, also continue to nurture other impactful initiatives that positively influence the daily lives of women.

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