Goodreds, a member of the Kiwanis Club of Hatboro-Horsham, a chapter of Kiwanis International, was one of 16 volunteers from Michigan and Pennsylvania, and the only representative from the Philadelphia region.
The purpose of the trip was to continue the building of a fifth housing unit for the Westhaven Children’s Home in Copse, Jamaica, which now accommodates more than 80 severely mentally and physically challenged people, ages 7 to 28. The new unit eventually will house 18 residents and their caregivers, primarily the older residents who have some ability to care for themselves, said Goodreds, who was in Jamaica from January 26 through February 3.
Days Inn Horsham, where Goodreds is the assistant manager, funded her expenses and airfare.
The work at Westhaven was started more than four years ago by Roy Glick, of Selinsgrove, Pa, who is the Pennsylvania Kiwanis District Chair, International Relations.
Goodreds, the secretary of the Kiwanis Club of Hatboro-Horsham, learned of the mission to Jamaica from a fellow Kiwanian. “I did research on the Internet and what I found made me want to go to Jamaica to help the children,” she said. “Once children become residents of Westhaven, it is very unlikely they will ever leave,” she added. “That is their home for life.”
Goodreds said dormitory number 5 has been under construction for six years and likely will take another year or two to complete. The team’s work included laying a cement floor, mudding walls and painting portions of the exterior of other buildings and gates. “We placed seven trucks of cement, all by either bucket brigade or with wheelbarrows.”
When the construction project stalled - like when the team had to wait for a cement truck to arrive - Goodreds said she embraced the opportunity and bonded with the youngsters. “Rather than sitting and waiting, I found myself gravitating to the children just to be with them,” she recalled. “The children did not ask for much … to be pushed on the swings, to take your hand and walk up and down in front of the cottages -for those who were able to walk; others just wanted to be pushed in their wheelchairs along the grass path, or to just give and receive a hug.”
During the last evening in Jamaica, Glick asked Goodreds what was the likely percentage that she would come back next year. Said Goodreds: “I told him as long as I can somehow get the funds to make the trip, it would be 100 percent.”
Kiwanis Club of Hatboro-Horsham
Kiwanis Tanner Park Project