A friend in need

In the wake of Hurricane Melissa, the landscape of St James was stripped of its vibrant life. For Vandakae Forrest, the view outside her window was a bleak reminder of the storm’s fury.

“Everything was brown,” she recalls, describing the aftermath as if a “tsunami or a tornado” had torn through her world, leaving her home flooded and her furniture ruined.

However, while the storm brought destruction, a unique initiative from Acropolis Gaming Lounge brought hope.

Last December, Acropolis Gaming Lounge, operated by Supreme Ventures Limited (SVL), launched the ‘Play it Forward’ promotion, a campaign designed to turn the thrill of winning into a lifeline for hurricane victims. The rules were simple: three lucky winners would receive prizes ranging from $250,000 to $1 million —and the Supreme Ventures Foundation would match each prize with an equal donation to a hurricane-relief project chosen by the winner.

When Avadeen Givans heard her name called as the secon-place winner of $500,000, she was in total disbelief.

“I never thought it could happen,” she said.

While the prize money represented a life-changing sum for her own needs, her heart immediately turned to a conversation she had had months prior.

The decision to help Forrest wasn’t born from a formal request but from a moment of raw, human connection. About two months after the hurricane, the two friends were simply “venting”.

“Initially, I didn’t know she was affected,” Givans shared. “It was just a candid conversation, literally. And that’s how I knew.”

Forrest hadn’t been looking for a handout - she was just sharing her struggles. Little did she know that her friend would soon be the one to help her turn things around.

The SVL team recently visited Forrest’s home in St James, greeted by her beaming smile. The atmosphere was a far cry from the “depressing” days immediately following the storm.

The team conducted a walk-through of the house as Forrest excitedly pointed out where her new life would begin.

The Acropolis Gaming Lounge ‘Play it Forward’ initiative delivered furniture and appliances, including a new bed frame and night table, a coffee table, a television, and a comfortable couch, all valued at $500,000.

As the SVL team set up the furniture, the house began to feel like a home again. For Forrest, the donation is a massive financial weight off her shoulders, allowing her to “spend less” on the long road to recovery. But more than the furniture, it was the gesture that moved her most.

“It makes me feel great ... awesome,” she said, touched that Givans chose her out of so many people.

For Kajay Rowe, SVL’s assistant vice-president of marketing and innovation, this is exactly what the promotion was intended to do.

“At Supreme Ventures, we don’t just change the lives of our players. We empower them to change the lives of others,” Rowe noted during the handover. By turning winners into donors, the ‘Play it Forward’ promotion has ensured that the spirit of community in Jamaica remains stronger than any storm.

As for Givans and Forrest, their bond is now anchored by more than just shared memories. It is a testament to the fact that when one person wins, a whole community can rise.