Mayreau school gets library

An initiative by Moreen King, formerly of Diamonds Village, who now resides in Brooklyn, N.Y, to contribute a library to the Pediatrics Ward of the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital, has resulted in the Mayreau Government School having a library.{{more}}

Alison Pacuska and James Mathieson, honeymooners in Bequia, were told of King’s library project by Cheryl Johnson, who works in Bequia. The couple responded positively by raising and sending two boxes of books to be donated to the hospital.

Some other visitors, Kim and Dave, of Canada, sailing on Aranzi, visited Mayreau, and on returning to Bequia and hearing about the Library Project, suggested that Mayreau receive the books instead. Permission to divert the books to the Mayreau Government school was sought and received. On hearing this, Pacuska raised another two boxes of books, which were sent via FEDEX, with assistance from the law firm of Fish & Richardson, P.C., where she works.

EC$500 towards a bookcase for the school was donated by sailor and writer Jim ‘Hutch’ Hutchinson, who has recently settled in Grenada. Hutchinson is a regular contributor to the Compass Magazine. The bookcase was designed and built by George Byron, who contributed his time and labour.

A casual discussion with Chris Crawford led to his taking the four boxes of books and the bookcase on his boat on February 13, 2008, to Mayreau. The books were received by Julian Ollivierre, the teacher in charge of the school, who received the books on the school’s behalf.

Thanks to the following persons and organizations for their kind assistance in making the Mayreau Primary School Library a reality: Customs Department Bequia, Alison Pacuska and James Mathieson, Fish & Richardson, P.C., George Byron, Jim Hutchinson, Chris Crawford and his Friend Jim Hendricks (who rode with Crawford on the day the library was transported, Annie Adams -Teacher of the Mayreau Primary School(initial Contact, Julian Ollivierre (teacher in charge), The Bequia Bookshop and members of the Mayreau Community who moved the books and bookcase from Mr. Crawford’s boat and transported same to the school.