CUMI Golf targets $4.5 million

With a long-term vision of establishing a rehabilitation centre for persons living with mental illness, organisers of the upcoming Tryall-Committee Upliftment Mentally Ill (CUMI) Charity Golf Tournament are targeting $4.5 million in proceeds to help bring the proposed legacy project to reality in western Jamaica.

Speaking at the sixth annual launch of the charity tournament at S Hotel in Montego Bay on Tuesday, CUMI Chairperson Jacqueline Hamilton said the organisation is aiming to surpass the more than $4 million raised last year.

“Specifically for this year, we are focusing on our legacy project, which is going to take large amounts of money. This golf tournament obviously will not fund the entire legacy project, but it will be utilised towards putting something long and sustaining in our communities to benefit mentally ill persons,” said Hamilton.

She noted that while the tournament will not cover the entire cost of the project, proceeds will be combined with existing trust funds to support the initiative.

“This is a big project that we are working on. We will be able to put additional trust funds that we have in hand and any other funds that we raise towards our legacy project. Everything now is going to be focused on that project. The golf tournament is all about our long-term vision to support our legacy project,” she added.

The highly anticipated event is scheduled for Saturday, September 19. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m., with the tournament set for a 9 a.m. start.

Organisers have so far registered 56 participants and are hoping to reach the maximum field of 72 players.

Established in 1991, CUMI emerged from the efforts of a group of civic-minded individuals who recognised the urgent need to assist homeless persons living with mental illness on the streets of Montego Bay.

From its inception until the closure of the CUMI Day Rehabilitation Centre in May 2025, the organisation remained committed to helping individuals regain stability, dignity and a greater sense of independence.

“Usually we are oversubscribed because it is such a fun and good cause. So it is very well supported by Kingston as well as western Jamaica,” said Hamilton.

Turning to the tournament’s broader objective, Hamilton said CUMI also hopes to highlight the need for greater private-sector support and public involvement in mental health care.

SUPPORT

“This is going to take massive private enterprise support, as well as public involvement. If we are successful, then it will be one of the first of its kind in this area.

“It’s a project that is very exciting and has a lot of possibilities. We have other projects also, which are more micro projects, and those will be released as they come on stream,” added Hamilton.

Over more than three decades, CUMI partnered with public- and private-sector organisations to help individuals regain stability and dignity, while seeking, where possible, to reconnect them with their families and communities.

Following the closure of the Day Rehabilitation Centre, CUMI transitioned to a foundation-based model. Today, its efforts are centred on the Legacy Project, which is intended to provide long-term support for homeless persons living with mental illness.

When Hurricane Melissa devastated western Jamaica in October 2025, CUMI partnered with Western Regional Health Services to assist mentally ill persons who were unable to access health centres.

Care packages and other supplies were distributed across St James, Trelawny, Westmoreland and Hanover.

As communities continue their recovery from the hurricane’s impact, Jamaica Money Market Brokers (JMMB) has placed mental health at the centre of its relief efforts through platinum sponsorship of the charity event.

“The kind of devastation that Melissa brought, we know the effect that it might have on persons who are mentally stable, let alone those persons who are already challenged in this area. We thought it would be very useful to continue along this path to ensure that persons who already have mental illness would be getting some additional support this year. That’s why we decided to keep our sponsorship at the platinum level,” said JMMB Fairview Branch Manager Miguel Beckford.

Meanwhile, England-based former CUMI participant Roddy Douglas believes golf’s ability to bring people together can support mental health initiatives.

“Mental health is an ongoing situation in life that is becoming more prevalent to people in the public eye right now. Hopefully, the benefits of the day will go forward and help those people in need,” said Douglas, who has been playing golf for 40 years.

Major sponsors include Tryall, JMMB, Stewarts Automotive, Rainforest Foundation, Doctor’s Cave Beach, Worthy Park, Fontana, Caribbean Solar Life, Boomerang, ICWI, CIBC and Discount Lumber Hardware.