Sint Maarten Lions Club promotes “Readers Make Great Leaders” Literacy Project | SOUALIGA NEWSDAY

June 16, 2022

SINT MAARTEN (PHILIPSBURG) - “Always remember, Readers, Make Great Leaders”. Garrison Keillor said, “A book is a gift you can open again and again.”

With this in mind, the Youth & Education Committee of the Sint Maarten Lions Club undertook a reading awareness Project in an effort to give back to our community, particularly our young students. The aim of the project was to increase the love of reading by making interesting story books available to our youngest readers. The target group of this project was playschool age (0-3) and students up to Grade two (age 8).

In order to have greater involvement in our corporate businesses, the Sint Maarten Lions Club invited them to support this Project by offering them to place collection boxes in strategic areas where their employees could donate new or used storybooks.

Businesses were offered an alternative option to donate towards this worthy cause. The Sint Maarten Lions Club is very appreciative of the monetary support received from so many corporate sponsors. Special Thank You to the Windward Islands Bank, Nagico, First Caribbean International Bank, Republic Bank, Royal Bank, and GEBE.

As a result of the contributions received, the Lions Club was able to support some of our local authors, Ms. Tamara Leonard, Mr. Quinton Marlin, Ms. Sherma Ellis-Daal, and Mrs. Greta Marlin by purchasing their storybooks in addition to orders that were placed off-island.

Six public schools, two private schools, and three playschools were identified to be the recipients of these very colorful books.

The Books Distribution Ceremony to the representatives of the various schools took place recently at the Lions Civic Centre, Lions members later visited all of the schools to share their joy of reading with the students.

The Sint Maarten Lions Club extends a great big Thank You to everyone who participated in this very worthwhile project that will have long-lasting effects on the lives of our students and children.