PRESS RELEASE — THE Cares Foundation (the charitable arm of the sister resorts BodyHoliday and Rendezvous), hosted an Independence Dancercise in the community of Monchy last week, as a BodyHoliday Cares initiative. The event was conducted last Thursday, at the Monchy Playing Field, as the resorts’ contribution to the activities of the 40th Anniversary of Saint Lucia’s Independence. The Foundation represents two local companies which have grown alongside the nation over several decades.
The event was conducted by BodyHoliday’s dynamic team of Bodyguards who are all certified fitness instructors. Importantly, the Foundation wanted to share with the entire school body and the community, the experience of some of the exciting work it does in the Monchy Primary after-school programme, which was launched last October.
Apart from funding the programme, BodyHoliday Cares also supports the hands-on learning efforts, by availing to the facilitators the various services in use at the resort. Thus, the event was an example of the fitness sessions that the BodyGuards conduct with the children, where the learning is incorporated into their various routines, such as doing Mathematical calculations as they perform their routines or writing about their experiences, thus, helping make learning fun and interactive.
Says the resort’s Deputy Managing Director, Mr Andrew Barnard, “It is always a tremendous pleasure having face to face contact time with the community, and especially having our guests come along for the experience. Our guests are invited to join us on such visits, so that they can see what we do. By their attendance, they too help us reach the community in a more authentic way, and they always find it incredibly fulfilling.”
The Foundation was tremendously grateful for its sponsors who were especially keen to support this initiative: Blue Waters, Lazy Lagoon, Barbay Ltd, Nico’s Touring Services Ltd, CPJ St Lucia Ltd, Ravi Ltd, and Power Plus Sound System.
The Foundation also seized the opportunity to reiterate its stance as an environmentally conscious organisation and encouraged others to do the same. The forks, cups and food containers on hand were all biodegradable, paper-based products. The water sponsored by Blue Waters was provided strictly in five gallon bottles that were then poured into the cups, to avoid usage of numerous single use plastic bottles. The organisation was pleased for the enthusiastic support of Blue Waters in that regard.
The Cares Foundations’ primary funding priorities are education, mental wellness, and vision impairment, alongside environmental sustainability, healthy living and male youth.