Giving back to the community has always been a gesture to be applauded. This is how many feel towards established playwright Trevor Rhone. He recently donated his childhood home in Bellas Gate, St Catherine, for the construction of a basic school, community training centre and visitor's lodge.

In a JIS release, Rhone said that little or no development has taken place in Bellas Gate since he was a boy, and young people there yearn for training and employment opportunities. He therefore deemed it his responsibility to give back to the community which nurtured and supported him as a child.

The school will be named in honour of his mother Ms Mac and his Aunt Syl who reared him and supported him during his time at drama school in England. The McSyl Basic School will provide the many youths of the Bellas Gate community with a comfortable place to learn.

Rhone wanted to highlight the role of the community in which he spent his formative years and when he visited the area on Monday he was quite pleased.

Heart warming

"When I arrived about 10 a.m., I got a warm welcome and a large number of persons were out chopping down trees and clearing the one-hectare property. After leaving Bellas Gate I've always thought about the community and it was heart-warming to see that this spirit has not died," Rhone told The Sunday Gleaner.

Rhone also said he always wanted to give back to his community. For this venture, he acknowledges the role of his brother, Neville Rhone, who has been his mentor and guide over the past years.

"It's something that I have been thinking about for years, but I must say that it's something my brother said that actually kicked off this adventure. What he actually said is that, 'what if someone wanted to know your roots and where you were born, if they should visit this place, you would be embarrassed'," Rhone said.

Rhone admitted that it was a real 'kick-start' as he started to think about this venture and actually put his thoughts to action.

"You know, I would like to say that starting off this project was an intervention from God. I say this because I was on a radio station expressing my wish to build a basic school in Bellas Gate and later on in the evening I got a call from the community development officer who said they had funds to build a basic school but no place. So you see, it was just perfect and we came together and now the project is on its way," he said.

Gratitude

In the release the president of the Bellas Gate Community Development Committee, Juliet Henry, expressed gratitude to Rhone for what the project will do for the community. In addition, Rhone wanted to highlight the role of community development officer, Monica Douglas-Gardener, saying that she has really worked hard in this project.

The building and refurbishing of the basic school will be funded by the Jamaica Social Development Fund.

Finally, Rhone, best known for his works Smile Orange and Old Story Time said he hoped his actions would be continued by many other Jamaicans.

"My major hope is that this model of community development can be a good seed and this seed will grow and be a good fruit and the birds will take this fruit to other communities across Jamaica. I also believe that when we have achieved so much we have a great responsibility to give back to our communities. We need to help the young people," Rhone said.

He also added, "To make this project a success though, I would like to appeal to the wider Jamaican society for help. I am getting some help from overseas but I still the need help of my fellow Jamaicans."