Gospel On The River returns

Gospel On The River, scheduled for July 28 in Black River, St Elizabeth, is back after a three-year break.

This is the word from promoter Ian Brown, proprietor and owner of Brown and Sons Funeral Home in the parish capital.

Brown said the show was born out of the need to assist the Black River Hospital after his father, the founder of the funeral home, was admitted there in the early 2000s. The treatment he got, even though the institution lacked much-needed equipment, moved him to do something to aid the hospital.

"When I visited my father in the hospital, I was quite pleased with the treatment that he was getting, and so, I decided that something must be done to assist the institution to offer even a better level of health care," said Brown.

After his father's death, Brown formally looked at ways to provide assistance.

In 2013, he promoted and executed the first staging of Gospel On The River, which was held on lands adjoining his business place.

So successful was that staging that the event was repeated in 2014, and with proceeds from both stagings, Brown was able to provide the hospital with two patient-monitoring machines, blood pressure kits and other medical supplies.

In 2015, Brown started construction to expand his funeral home business, and that did not allow for the staging of the events for three years.

But the show is back this year and is to be headlined by Judith Gayle and Jabez, along with several other local artistes.

"It is my hope that from this year's show, I will be able to provide the Black River Hospital with more patient monitors, blood pressure machines and a defibrillator, among other medical equipment and supplies for the only hospital in St Elizabeth," he said.