Lowmans students receive school back packs

Students who attend the Lowmans Leeward Anglican School and who went to school with book bags on the first day of school (Monday, September 1), ended up taking home two book bags at the end of the school day.{{more}}

The second book bag (for some) and the first for others, came in the form of a donation from the Lenora Nola Charles Ferguson Foundation, a non-profit organisation based in Brooklyn, New York.

The foundation, which has Vincentian roots, gave 503 book bags laden with school supplies to students who attend the Lowmans Leeward Anglican School. The bags contained among other things, notebooks, pens, pencils, crayons, rulers, erasers, glue sticks and loose leaves.

Assistant secretary of the Lenora Nola Charles Ferguson Foundation, Rowena Charles, who is originally from Campden Park, but resides in Brooklyn, said that the foundation was founded by her sister Andean Charles after their mother (Lenora Nola Charles Ferguson) passed away last year.

“Five months after our mother died, she (Andean) saw the need to create this foundation to help people and also to keep mother’s memory alive,” said Rowena who added that through fund raising and help from people in the USA, they were able to secure 514 backpacks, 503 of which were given to children at the Lowmans school on behalf of the foundation last Monday.

“A lot of people who have seen the need helped us and we got the bags,” said Rowena who added that this is not the group’s first venture but it is their biggest so far.

The group has in the past helped two brothers of Richland Park get uniforms and school supplies while they have also helped a woman in Richland Park, who lived in a thatch house, with building material.

Rowena said that the group’s generosity is not only confined to St Vincent as they have also helped two brothers in Jamaica and are expected to do more wherever help is needed in the region.

Principal at the school Venda Smith said that she was very elated about the donation. She said that it benefits all children in a community that in some instances really need the help.

“Many parents are not working so many times some of them are without and I hope that this is motivation for the parents and students to take care of their gifts,” said Smith.

Also present when the book bags were being handed out was Miss SVG 2014 Shadeisha George who is a past student of the school.

“This is really overwhelming, it is the tenth year since I left the school and coming back here to witness this warms my heart as this is where I got my academic foundation. I am really excited to see the students so enthusiastic,” said George.

A number of exceptional students were also singled out and given gifts during the handing out process.

The Lenora Nola Charles Ferguson Foundation is made up of founder Andean Charles, assistant president Marva Gumbs, secretary Mickala Gumbs, assitant secretary Rowena Charles, treasurer Roseanne Bilan (Grenada), Laferne Thomas, Cordel John, Dian Gumbs, Shanell Russell (Antigua), Adolia Joseph (St Lucia), Jocintha Haynes and contributor Ludis Mitchell.

The local link for the foundation is another of Rowena’s sisters, Denise Jacobs.