The Helping Hands Center continues to expand

On Tuesday, March 2 the school officially opened its latest addition, a playground.{{more}}

Annis John, coordinator at the facility expressed her gratitude, noting that the construction of a playground was in the making for some time.

An application was submitted to the Social Investment Fund (SIF) in 2008 with the official approval following one year later.

“I am so happy to see this become a reality,” John said.

But the process was not an easy one.

“It took a lot of hard work and dedication,” she said, adding there were a lot of “hills and bumps.”

The center, which specializes in special education for physically and mentally challenged children also had some good assistance, namely Steve Corea, a Vincentian native living in the United Kingdom.

It was two years ago that Corea came to the aid of the center sponsoring some of the children for a one-year period.

He has once again reached out this time gaining some support from other persons to form a ‘Circle of Friends’.

“The idea is to donate a small amount of money and over a period of time,” Corea explained.

There were also a few generous donations included in the 800 pound sterlings that Corea and his group were able to raise.

The funds were used in the construction of the frame of the slide with the remaining to be put towards the erection of a gazebo.

Corea was able to rally the support of Shirla Filogene, another Vincentian living in the UK, who made a donation of t-shirts.