BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE Seventh Semester Class of Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine yesterday morning (Apr. 21) presented an EC$14 000 cheque to the St. Christopher Children’s Home.
The donation was made at simple but very significant ceremony held at the Children’s Home on Cardin Avenue in the presence of the St. Christopher Children’s Home and Service League Board, members of the Seventh Semester Class and Jodi Peeler, Assistant Dean of Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine.
Welcome remarks and introductions were done by Peeler who said that part of the university’s mission is to give back to the community.
“Part of our mission is to educate the students to become veterinarians but, more importantly, we hope that we enhance their skills so that they are ultimately good citizens in the community. Those really are the two reasons why we are here - we want to give back to the community and because of the students,” Peeler said.
She went on the say, “It was their idea...it is the reason that they are here. The reason this donation is being given today is because of the students.”
In brief remarks to the gathering, Sebastian Mottram, Chairperson of the St. Christopher Children’s Home and Service League, said that the cheque came at a very crucial time.
“Due to the challenging economic climate, we are now almost entirely supported by voluntary contributions and this has come at a very welcoming time when we are grappling with the financial circumstances that we find ourselves in. We are partnered by the government of the Federation who supports us in kind, but this generous donation will keep us going for a couple of months,” Mottram said.
Frank Swartzel, the Seventh Semester Class Representative, handed over the cheque to Chairperson Mottram who, in return on behalf of the Home, presented him with a certificate of appreciation as a thank you for the timely and humane gesture.
Swartzel said that their class has been raising funds for some time and several suggestions were made to put aside some of the money for charity.
“We have been raising funds since our second semester for our class banquet, and ever since then several persons in the class have suggested that we put aside some of the funds and use it to give to a charity at the end of our time here, just as a thank you to the community.”
Mottram told SKNVibes that the money would be used towards food and wages.
“The majority of the money is going to be spent on the day-to-day running of the home. It just goes on wages and food.”
Mottram declared that apart from the financial support from the government and donations received from time to time, the Children’s Home hosts fundraisers as a means of making money to sustain itself.
He also declared that the Children’s Home is in the process of launching a website and persons desirous of making contributions could so through this online service.
