IN a celebration of its 18th anniversary, Coconut Bay Beach Resort & Spa gathered esteemed guests, dignitaries, and partners to announce its ongoing commitment to community development, education, and sustainable practices.
The event, held at the resort on September 21, 2023, during its annual ‘refreshment’ closure, highlighted the impact Coconut Bay has had on the local economy, educational institutions, and charitable organizations over its 18-year history.
One exemplary initiative among these endeavours is the unwavering support for the St. Jude’s Hospital Pediatric Ward, safeguarding the health and welfare of Saint Lucia’s children. During the event, Gary ‘Butch’ Hendrickson, Chairman of Coconut Bay Beach Resort & Spa, announced a $100,000 donation in the form of essential equipment for the hospital.
Hendrickson also announced Coconut Bay’s CocoLand Cares initiative will continue to distribute early childhood educational tools to 40 preschools across the south, with plans to expand the distribution in 2024. Drawing inspiration from a cost-benefit analysis, emphasizing that each dollar invested in early childhood development yields big economic benefits, CocoLand Cares underscores his belief that investing in early childhood education is a crucial step towards building a better future for the community.
An additional series of donations and continuing initiatives reflecting the cornerstone of Coconut Bay’s philanthropic programmes were also announced:
– Supporting local sports, the resort pledged $5,000 to the Pace Setters sports team, which has produced exceptional athletes like Naomi London, a medalist at this year’s CARIFTA Games in Curaçao.
– Coconut Bay furthered its commitment to enhancing educational facilities in the community by donating $7,500 to Vieux Fort Comprehensive Secondary School along with labour and supplies for the restoration of an exterior wall.
– A $5,000 contribution will go towards creating a sensory playground, including a swing and sensory play table, for special needs and autistic students at the Special Education Centre.
– The resort pledged its continued annual support with scholarships to the children of staff to the tune of $10,000, ensuring access to quality education and supporting their academic pursuits.
– The resort presented a $5,000 scholarship to Dru Edwin, a member of the culinary department, to further his training and development.
– The Coconut Bay Academic Excellence Award presented to Dane Benjamin, will now be an annual commitment to a student from Beanfield Comprehensive Secondary School to pursue tertiary education.
– The resumption of maintenance at Comfort Bay Home and goodwill visits by Coconut Bay staff.
Coconut Bay also reaffirmed its commitment to environmental conservation, continuing its energy conservation initiatives, rainwater harvesting, beach cleanups, and further reducing its carbon footprint. The resort has also been actively involved in turtle conservation, with over 50 staff members trained by the Department of Fisheries for responsible turtle hatchling releases.
During this special occasion, Coconut Bay Beach Resort & Spa was honoured with an award of appreciation, presented by Paul Collymore, President of the Saint Lucia Hospitality and Tourism Association to Mark Adams, the resort’s President and CEO.
In addition to this recognition, Coconut Bay took the opportunity to acknowledge the invaluable contributions of former Prime Minister and Parliamentary Representative for Vieux Fort South, the Honourable Dr. Kenny D. Anthony and Peter Foster, KC, Attorney at Law and Former Speaker of the House of Assembly, for their instrumental roles in the resort’s inception in 2003/2004.
Other dignitaries in attendance were Dr. Ernest Hilaire, Minister for Tourism, Investment, Creative Industries, Culture and Information; Shawn Edward, Minister for Education, Sustainable Development, Innovation, Science, Technology and Vocational Training, and Lorine Charles-St. Jules, CEO of the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority.