Ms Bygrave
Kirk Hughes
Children from the seven public schools in Anguilla have been the recipients of an assortment of Christmas gifts – having met the criteria of good behaviour and academic improvement. That criteria was set by Mr and Mrs David Small, an American couple, who, along with their five sons, are repeat visitors to Anguilla every Christmas season.
In addition to those gifts, the family have also just made monetary donations to ten organisations on the island, including both old and new recipients. The family’s contributions to date, over a period of nine years, amounts to almost almost US$400,000 or more than one million EC dollars. This has been described as a fine example to other visitors enjoying Anguilla’s hospitality.
The latest presentations by the Chicago family were made at a Christmas Gift-Giving ceremony at La Vue Boutique Inn on Thursday, December 26. At the Boxing Day event were principals, teachers and students from the six public Primary Schools and the Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School. The gathering also included the Minister of Home Affairs, Mr Jerome Roberts, who has responsibility for Education; the Parliamentary Secretary for Tourism, Mr Haydn Hughes; and the Director of Tourism, Mrs Candis Niles.
In addition to the schools, the organisations which received monetary contributions this Christmas were the Anguilla Community Foundation, the Anguilla Sailing Association, the Anguilla Red Cross, the Blowing Point Youth Development Centre, the Comprehensive Learning Centre, the Princess Alexandra Hospital, the Kassique Dance Academy, the Optimist Club of Anguilla, the Soroptimist Club of Anguilla and the Zenada Haven.
The presentation ceremony was chaired by Ms Patricia Bygrave, the long-serving coordinator of the annual event. “Since the event began in 2005, just under 500 children across the entire island, including students at both the primary and secondary education level, have been recipients of beautiful gifts which have been hand-picked, purchased and shipped by the Small family from the US to Anguilla. Year after year, the trend continues. That calls for a round of applause,” Ms Bygrave stated. “If that is not enough, on annual basis the Christmas cheer from the Small family extends to the elderly, the disabled, youth organisations and non-profit organisations.” She calculated that since the event began the family had donated almost US$400,000.
Mr Haydn Hughes commended the US family for their donations to Anguilla over the years. “This is something that the Small family did not have to do,” he remarked. “They could have come to Anguilla, enjoy our beaches, our meals and the warmth and hospitality of our people and then go back to the US. But they decided nine years ago that it is more than just coming to Anguilla to celebrate this Christmas season. It is about giving something to the people of Anguilla so that the island can be a better place for all of us.”
Mr David Small, a businessman in Chicago, took the opportunity to speak about leadership and the importance of giving back to the community, and he engaged a number of persons in a discussion on the subject areas. “Leadership starts with your behaviour, the respect you have for your family; for your fellow students; and for your teachers…By being a leader, you are encouraging others to act like you, to behave you. There are many different levels and types of leadership, but it starts at home, continues in the classroom; and as you get older, you are going to be asked to step up and be a leader,” Mr Small advised the children, adding that they must give back to their community.
“My wife, Robin, our boys and I, wish you a very merry Christmas and a healthy and enjoyable 2014,” Mr Small told the children and other persons at the presentation ceremony.
Mr Jerome Roberts thanked the visiting family for being part of the wider community. “As Minster of Home Affairs, I often asked persons applying for an Alien Landholding Licence what they intended to contribute to enhance Anguilla,” he said. “This ceremony by the Small family is indicative of what visitors to the island can do. Let’s give the Small family a standing ovation.”
Mr Kirk Hughes, Proprietor of La Vue, also spoke highly of the annual gifts to the people of Anguilla by the Small family. He lauded them for freely giving without expecting anything in return and offered them every good wish on behalf of himself, his family, staff and the people of Anguilla.
Other expressions of thanks were delivered by Mrs Ingrid Lake, Principal of the Comprehensive School, on behalf of all the schools; and by Ms Susan Hodge on behalf of the various organisations.
The programme included three performances by the Klassique Dancers which added much to the celebration of the Christmas season and the gift-giving ceremony.
