Chicago-based Company Investor, David Small, and family, have donated in excess of US$50,000 in gifts for Anguillian schoolchildren, and cheques for schools and charitable and non-profit organisations. The presentations were made at Anacaona Boutique Hotel at Meads Bay, on Wednesday, December 26.
It was the 8th Annual Gift-giving Celebration by the American family who said they fell in love with the people and island of Anguilla since their first visit.
Coordinator and Chairperson of the celebration, Patricia Bygrave, who presided over the event in the absence of John Benjamin, gave a comprehensive review of the contributions by Mr and Mrs Small and their five sons over the years.
“This event was initiated by Mr Small and his lovely wife, Robin, who, in 2005, decided that after vacationing in Anguilla in 2001, they had a desire to give back to our society,” Ms Bygrave said. “The decision was made to head in the direction of a Christmas gift-giving party which coincided with their annual Christmas visit, and so the event was given birth.”
She continued: “In 2005/2006, some fifty children from the Blowing Point community were presented with gifts. Several charitable and non-profit organisations were also presented with cheques in the amount of over US$25,000. In 2007, the decision was made to extend the gift-giving event to include children from across the entire island.2007 saw the introduction of students being selected from each of the six Government-run primary schools plus two private schools for gifts. In 2008, six children from each school were selected and presented with gifts. Several charitable and non-profit organisations also received monetary donations of over US$30,000.
“In 2009, the decision was made to select the six children from each school on the basis of good behaviour – grades one and two…Students from grade three to six were selected on the basis of academic improvement. This was an incentive for students, whose performance was not at the average school level, to excel. As an addition to that year, the Small family decided to include an essay competition in all the schools with ten entries for the top three to be selected by the family. Each essay entrant was awarded a certificate and a cash prize of US$50.
“In 2010, there was an increase from six to twelve students from each of the Government-run schools selected and awarded gifts. Monetary donations were given to several non-profit organisations in the sum of over US$50,000. In 2011, for the second year, in addition to the twelve primary school students who received gifts, was the inclusion of students from the Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School who were awarded for academic excellence in various subjects. The school was also added to the list of recipients for a monetary donation towards its mathematics programme…Funds were provided to assist with extra tutoring classes for the students as well. The 2011 events saw some US$70,000 donated by the Small family.
“Now in 2012, for the 8th consecutive year, the trend continues with twelve students from the six Government-run primary schools receiving gifts. Further to that, several non-profit and charitable organisations are again this year receiving funds to assist with their various on-going fund-raising campaigns. Each year, each school also receives cash donations towards an on-going fund-raising project.”
Parliamentary Secretary, Tourism, Haydn Hughes, welcomed the Small family to Anguilla. He said the 8th annual donation celebration showed a level of consistency and commitment by the family. “Mr. Small is an honorary citizen of Anguilla because the contribution he is making to the youth of the island is not only assisting them, but the entire country,” Mr. Hughes said.
He congratulated the family for their generosity, encouraged the children who received gifts to continue to excel, and hoped that others would win selection for awards later on.
The benefactor, Mr. David Small, said he had taken his family to several Caribbean islands on vacation before coming to Anguilla. “We didn’t know much about Anguilla, but we had heard that it was a really nice place,” he stated. “We came here and we loved it… and made friends everywhere. We realised that Anguilla was a very special island with very special people… We really enjoyed our visits to Anguilla – and we wanted to give back to the people of Anguilla and that’s why we have been continuing this tradition each year to give back a little bit more.”
The organisations which received funding from Mr and Mrs Small and family were the Anguilla Community Foundation; the Comprehensive Learning Centre; the Princess Alexandra Hospital; the Optimist Club of Anguilla; the Blowing Point Youth Development Club; the Klassique Dance Academy and the Albena Lake Hodge Comprehensive School. In addition to the gifts of school supplies for the children, the primary schools also received monetary contributions.
There were expressions of gratitude by Principal of the Comprehensive School, Ingrid Lake, on behalf of the students and schools; Sandra York-Gumbs, on behalf of the charitable and non-profit organisations; and President of the Anguilla Hotel and Tourism Association, Delroy Lake, on behalf of his organisation, who said the Small family’s donations were an example for others to give back to Anguilla.
The Klassique Dance Academy provided entertainment for the evening.
