~Sponsors 300 faces masks for kindergarten schools~
PHILIPSBURG:--- In continuing what has now become an annual tradition for Seven Seas Water (St. Maarten), the company recently made a monetary donation to the Sundial School for its breakfast/lunch program.
The Sundial School breakfast program was first introduced by now-retired educator, Jackie Morris. The breakfast/lunch program is nowadays coordinated by the acting principal of Sundial School, La Vaune Hodge-Henry.
In acknowledging the gesture, the school has noted that the new school year has started with new normalcy and new challenges due to the pandemic.
Since August, Sundial School initiated online learning for those students who were fortunate enough to have a device or internet connectivity. At the same time, the school heard requests for assistance from students who used to benefit from the breakfast program during the school year 2019-2020.
According to Seven Seas Water Managing Director Franklyn Richards, the company will continue to support initiatives such as the breakfast/lunch program for the Sundial School, particularly now that the economic situation has placed more vulnerable families in difficult positions. One consequence of these hardships has been the inability to adequately and regularly feed kids in families most affected by parents or caretakers abruptly joining the unemployment lines.
“In a society such as ours, it cannot be so that while a few do not have such concerns, children are expected to actually learn on empty stomachs. Any assistance that can be provided should be considered”, he says.
The Sundial school additionally received 300 face masks. The masks are earmarked for distribution to kindergarten schools.
The school had approached the business community for sponsorship of face masks considering that it wants “all students to be equipped for face-to-face school or blended learning once permission has been granted by the Ministry of Education”.
Seven Seas Water Managing Director Franklyn Richards says that the company is proud to be part of the initiative.
“It’s our contribution as a cognizant corporate citizen in addressing the present Covid-19 pandemic, which has also impacted education” notes Richards.
