THE GREGORY ISAACS FOUNDATION GIVES BACK TO THE COMMUNITY!

Gregory Isaacs—

THE Gregory Isaacs Foundation donated a gift package to the Walker’s Place of Safety in Kingston last Wednesday.

The items were purchased with proceeds from ‘Hat Affair’, the annual show celebrating the singer’s birthday in June.

Among the items presented to Grace Allen, manager at Walker’s Place of Safety, were food, books and clothing.

“We just took over from him all the charities he (Gregory Isaacs) supported,” said Colin Leslie, chairman of the Gregory Isaacs Foundation.

Trustee of the organisation, Isaacs’ widow June, said: “Gregory always said, ‘every pickney a God pickney’ and he never turned his back on a child. Whatever he can do for a child, he will do. So we are continuing along that trend here (at Walker’s Place of Safety), Black Harmony Basic School in Central Village in St Catherine and the St Barnabas Basic School in Fletcher’s Land which was his first school. We will always be there for them and the foundation will continue the tradition and we thank all who contributed.”

Yvonne Chang-Oliver, executive director of the foundation, reminded the gathering that Isaacs got involved with the Walkers Place of Safety in 1980, eight years after the children’s home was established.

Known as the ‘Cool Ruler’ because of his laid-back vocal style, Gregory Isaacs was one of the artistes who crafted lovers rock reggae with hits like All I Have is Love, Love is Overdue, Soon Forward and Night Nurse.

He died from cancer in October 2010 at age 60.

– By Basil Walters