TRYALL, Hanover — All systems go for Saturday’s inaugural staging of the Tryall-CUMI Charity Golf Tournament to be held at the Tryall Golf Course in Hanover, starting at 9:00 am, organisers say.

The event, which has been approved by the Hanover Health Department and the Ministry of Health and Wellness, is replacing the annual road race as the main fund-raiser for the Committee for the Upliftment of the Mentally Ill (CUMI) Rehabilitation Day Centre on Brandon Hill in Montego Bay, St James.

According to a media release for CUMI chair Trina DeLisser, “due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its protocols the traditional CUMI Run Event has been replaced with the Tryall-CUMI Golf Tournament.”

Up to Tuesday, a day before the close of entries, 44 entries had been confirmed, DeLisser told the Jamaica Observer West on Monday, adding that “entries are still coming in.”

“As you can imagine the lockdowns and curfews are a bit tricky for some of our Kingston golfers,” DeLisser pointed out.

The target is to raise $2 million and the format of the tournament is a two-person team scramble, which allows for all levels of players to enter, with many other fun competitions during the event, the release said.

Registration of the players will open at 7:30 am and the tournament will begin 90 minutes later with a shotgun start.

And speaking at the recent launch of the event at the S Hotel in Montego Bay, Kamal Powell, marketing manager at J Wray & Nephew Limited, one of the sponsors of the event, said supporting an initiative such as the CUMI Charity Golf Tournament was an easy decision, as it provides the opportunity for the company to give to those who are in need.

“The tournament does not only provides entertainment, it also creates an avenue through which CUMI can maintain the rehabilitation day centre facility and its services.” said Powell

“It is our belief that there is no better way to display the strength of our nation than to reach out and aid those who are in need.”

He said his company is thrilled to be able to play an integral role in giving those battling various mental illnesses the attention, care, and help that they deserve.

CUMI provides rehabilitation services for the psychologically challenged in St James.

For more than 20 years scores of people with mental illness have been provided with clothes, food, medication and necessary therapy, thanks to CUMI.