The scout group poses for a photo with district six representative Georges Richardson on Rue Lady Fish, Sandy Ground on Tuesday. (Photo Robert Luckock)
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Scouts helping to load a truck with zinc and other debris on Rue Lady Fish, Sandy Ground. (Photo Robert Luckock).
MARIGOT–Some 40 Scouts of France were in Sandy Ground on Tuesday helping to clean up the district with Sandy Ground on the Move Insertion. They are part of a 100-strong contingent of young scouts currently on the island helping with recovery, cleaning and rebuilding.
Another unrelated group of scouts from Belgium staying in Mont Vernon is also on the island helping with clean up.
“We arrived last week after getting a call from our brothers the Scouts of St. Martin after Irma saying they could do with the help this summer,” explained scout leader Matthieu Joire. “We are working on different projects around the island; environment, rebuilding and activities for children, we will stay here for one month. We are camping in Bellevue.”
Joire said the scouts, aged between 17 and 21 years, have spent two years preparing the project, not necessarily for St. Martin, and financing it through crowdfunding, working at jobs to save money, soliciting donations and other initiatives. At the time they did not know Hurricane Irma was going to strike the island but the project was ready to go and it was just a matter of activating it.
District six representative Georges “Baj” Richardson said he was very pleased to have the help.
“Now that we are in hurricane season again it is imperative we do everything possible to clean up and mitigate the risk of flying debris that turn into lethal missiles,” he said. “The Collectivité has done a good job so far but there is still an awful lot to do. So, I’m very thankful to Matthieu and his group of scouts for helping us carry out this important job. A month is not going to be enough unfortunately and when the scouts leave we will still have to continue.”
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/78715-french-scouts-helping-with-clean-up-of-sandy-ground
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