Charity road race aims to raise funds for youth education in Jamaica
MONTEGO BAY, JAMAICA – Over 4,000 sport enthusiasts are expected to converge in Jamaica’s tourism capital, Montego Bay, for the second installment of the MoBay City Run (MBCR), a 5/10k charity road race created to raise funds for youth education in Jamaica. The event, being staged by the MoBay City Run Organizing Committee (MBCR) in collaboration the Jamaica Tourist Board, University of West Indies Western Jamaica Campus and JetBlue Airways, will take place on Sunday, May 3, 2015.
This relatively new charity road race aims to support the development of western Jamaica by assisting students, who would not otherwise be able to afford a university education, access tertiary education through funding and scholarships. The fund will provide assistance for students attending University of West Indies and UTECH Western Campuses, Sam Sharpe Teachers College and Montego Bay Community College. In its first year, the race attracted over 2,000 participants and 100 students received scholarships and awards from the proceeds of the event.
“Sports tourism is in fact one of the fastest growing segments of the tourist industry and our aim is to make Jamaica the sports tourism destination of choice in the region,” said Donnie Dawson, Deputy Director of Tourism, Jamaica Tourist Board. “The MoBay City Run has made a huge impact on the events calendar of Jamaica and we hope the event continues to grow in order to benefit our tertiary students, our visitors and our tourism partners.”
At the MoBay City Run press conference, held at Miss Lily’s Restaurant in New York City on January 15, Janet Silvera, chairman of MBCR, said, “more than 25 percent of students enrolled in these tertiary institutions are unable to cover semester fees at any given time and risk being de-registered or unable to complete their examinations.” With the majority of students now being prepared for work in the tourist industry, Silvera feels it is pivotal to ensure the market is served by qualified practitioners.
Registration for the MoBay City Run opens on February 2, 2015. For more information on the MoBay City Run, visit www.mobaycityrun.com or contact Janet Silvera at [email protected] or (876) 392-6566.
