Sandals Foundation support help make basketball summer camp a reality.
Basketball, well known as a sport for champions, continues to attract both boys and girls in Saint Lucia. Barely out of pre-school, and with help from Sandals Resorts and the Sandals Foundation, some of the young ones are already bouncing balls on their way to summer fun and maybe even stardom someday.
Celebrating our children is critical to their development and to this end, over one hundred children have recently benefitted from a direct Sandals Foundation investment in education and sports. Parents and coaches alike are very appreciative of this contribution.
Speaking during the opening of the 2022 basketball summer camp at the Kenneth Wriggler King Multi-purpose court in the gardens, parent Justice V Georgis Taylor-Alexander had this to say: “Without the involvement of the corporate community, we in the sporting fraternity are doomed. We work hard and beg for sponsorship, but unless the two hands clap, we remain in the dark. And this means that our children also remain under-developed. So when Sandals rose to the challenge and agreed to sponsor the 2022 basketball summer camp and tournament, we were over-joyed. If we did not get the sponsorship, we would not have been able to execute this year’s activity.”
Coach Ron DuMurville is adamant about the benefits to children of sporting activities. He has dedicated many man-hours on the courts, teaching life skills and rudimentary sports skills to some 80 youngsters from the length and breadth of Castries and its environs.
“We run a very active year-round sports programme for children, but again, we can only do this with the help of the corporate community. But we go further, and try to get scholarships for our outstanding players. Currently there are two youngsters studying overseas on scholarships, and one is getting ready to leave shortly,” DuMurville said.
This year’s basketball camp will culminate in a tournament where the camp participants will put their newly learned skills on display.
In addition to sports assistance, children within the education sector continue to get well needed support.
“The Ministry of education is very grateful for this gesture from the Sandals group, recognizing that our children need to be recognized when they have done well. We punish and penalize them when they do not do well, and we forget to congratulate and reward them when they do well.” So said Mr. Cyrus Cepal, District Education Officer representing the Ministry of Education, during an award ceremony held at Sandals Grande St Lucian Spa & Beach Resort for top performers of the recently held Caribbean Primary Exit Assessment exam.
Harryann Joseph, writing the CPEA exam from the Dennery Primary School, shared this bit of wisdom: “Even though we are having difficulties that do not change the fact that you could still do your best to get the education that you want. When you get that education you will be able to get enough money to help your parents or anyone you want to as an adult.”
Additionally, 130 students have benefitted from assistance provided for the ConquerMaths interactive online programme that is designed to integrate technology in education while providing students from Kindergarten to A-Level with the knowledge and tools to master Mathematics.
Earlier this year, the Sandals Foundation, through its connections with guests, was able to donate through the Pack-For-a-Purpose programme, several hundred pounds of books and other school supplies as part of National Library week celebrations. Through this initiative to date, over 3,000 pounds of school supplies have been donated to Saint Lucia alone.