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Alford Anglin

From necessity to joy

Half Moon bellman serving guests for 42 years

The reality of becoming a young father shockingly uprooted Donovan Alford Anglin out of his comfort zone in rural Jamaica to head to Montego Bay in search of work.

A 42-year veteran of Half Moon, the luxury resort located in Rose Hall, Anglin recalls desperately asking his cousin, who was already employed to Half Moon, to help him find a job in the second city. "I was only 21 years old, with no money, still living with my parents and needed additional means of providing for my family," he remembers.

With the pending birth of his first child quickly upon him, true to his word his cousin "put in a good word" for him at Half Moon and soon he was employed at the luxury resort on May 16, 1968. "I remember the day like it was yesterday,"Anglin reminisces. "I heard the good news that the head gardener at Half Moon had a job for me in his department."

change of pace

It was time to change pace, having spent the first 21 years of his life in the parish of Westmoreland, in a small farming community known as Scarlette Field with his parents and six siblings. His parents, both farmers, sold their produce at the local market, calling on him to occasionally miss school in order to help sell the family's market produce.

To leave farming for a life in the city was the beginning of many opportunities for the young Anglin, and he applied himself to his newly found position with gusto. By 1972, he was transferred from landscaping to store clerk, issuing and delivering stock to each department, a position he held for 10 years.

volunteered

With an eye for new opportunities, every evening after work in the resort stores Anglin volunteered at the bell desk to learn the ropes first hand. An ambitious young man, he worked hard to set himself apart to his managers. Impressed by his personality and easy demeanour with guests, he earned a position as a night bellman in 1982 and also served as the night telephone operator.

Now 63, Anglin does not look like a man about to slow down. "Mr Anglin epitomises strength, perseverance and determination. He is the perfect role model for youngsters starting out in the hospitality industry," said Aram Zerunian, general manager of Half Moon.

Anglin believes that honesty and love pays off in the end. "I adore my colleagues at the bell desk. We have our ups and downs, but I would not exchange them for anything. I love to meet, interact with and serve the guests. My advice for the younger generation is to be sincere about everything you do and do it with love," he admonishes.