It was a grand day as students, parents, teachers and dignitaries gathered together to celebrate the opening of the library at Grand Bay Primary recently.
The event featured several fine speeches emphasizing the importance of reading in students’ lives and calling for them to utilize the books well to further their education. Parents were also encouraged to support their children by setting aside time for reading at home.
The Honorable Justina Charles was on hand to show her support by donating seven tablets for use at the school. Others who generously helped were Dragon Doors and Windows (two new doors), Garroway Enterprises (colorful shelf markers), and Harris Paints (five gallons of green paint).
Enriching the book collection were quality books donated by Hands Across the Sea, Darien Books, Friends of the Eastern Caribbean and from a book drive conducted by employees of a visiting cruise ship.
The effort of getting the library ready was spearheaded by Peace Corps Volunteer Mitch Stricker and greatly helped along by the Library Club’s work in cleaning and labeling the books.
The theme of the library is “Readers’ Reef”; it celebrates the rich marine life that surrounds our Nature Island. Many of the decorations in the room were given by the Department of Fisheries, who also donated many pounds of fish that were deliciously prepared as snacks following the ceremony.
Entertainment was provided by students and members of the Library Club; one performed a humorous skit and the other a well-rehearsed song. Following this was a fun conch-blowing contest. (It’s not as easy as it looks!)
A formal ribbon-cutting then took place and the event concluded with everyone getting a good look at the freshly painted, nicely decorated library.
A Dominica visitor here in Switzerland,(your former teacher Vaslan Robin) called my attention to your school and its library. He mentioned the damage Hurricane Maria wreaked on your island and especially your school. I’m a writer focused on young adult readers – above all adults of high-school Age – and I hope your library is overcoming the hurricane’s fury. Do you have a librarian? And do some of you read e-books? If so, I’d like to donate our first two nonfiction êbooks on Amazon..com, which my coauthor and wife Hanni and I are now revising and updating. Do let us know how we can help out. With best wishes in contending with the damage to your School. Mr. Robin impressed ne with his efforts to inspire people like me to help you out. With best regards, Lyn (+ Hanni) Shepard, Berne, Switzerland