COJO honours 'Butch' Stewart

Published: Tuesday, February 09, 2010

SANDALS boss and Observer chairman Gordon 'Butch' Stewart has been honoured by the Children of Jamaica Outreach (COJO) for his outstanding contribution to the New York-based charitable organisation.

COJO, celebrating its 15th anniversary, is a non-profit organisation funded by Jamaican-born Gary Williams "to help improve the health, education and general well-being of less-fortunate children in Jamaica".

Cathy Decker (centre), PR Representative for Sandals Group in New York,
accepts the Children of Jamaica Outreach (COJO) 15th anniversary award
on behalf of Observer chairman Gordon 'Butch' Stewart from Gary Williams,
chairman of COJO. At left is Geneive Brown Mitzger, Consul General of
Jamaica to New York.

Stewart, along with JetBlue Airways, Tower Isle Frozen Foods and Raglan George, Jr, executive director of District Council 1707 in New York, were lauded by COJO for "helping the organisation to achieve its mission".

For more than a decade, the volunteer-driven organisation has provided numerous academic scholarships and supported a number of institutions in Jamaica and the United States. Among them are the Alpha Boys' Home, Glenhope Place of Safety, Marigold Child Care Centre, Musgrave Girls' Home, City of Refuge and Summerfield Boys Home in Jamaica, and in New York the Jamaica, Queens YMCA and Leaf of Life.

Founder and chairman of COJO, Gary Williams, said that "despite the challenging economic times, it is heartening to see companies and individuals still making a contribution towards enhancing the future -- our children".

Williams also thanked other entities for their support to COJO, including the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, Iberostar Rose Hall, Point Village, Grand Palladium and Sandals.