Operation Schoolbell
The objective of Operation Schoolbell is to provide needy families with care packages, and provide the schoolchildren of those families with backpacks full of grade-appropriate school supplies. Each year the need has grown. This year Connie prepared packs for 900 families and 2000 school children.
Connie Jaynes and her husband Scott are US ex-pats that have been living on St Kitts for many years. She is an awesome force for good on the island and the key organizer for this and other charitable activities on the island. Starting in mid-July, we helped the Jaynes’ prepare for this annual charitable event.
This year, the Catholic Church offered their Parish building as the location to stage, pack and distribute the supplies. It was hot, humid and tight quarters, and the project had to expand into some of the school rooms to prepare the family kits.
Connie started months in advance to raise funds, purchase materials in the US, arrange transportation and storage from South Carolina to St Kitts, via an Air Force C17 working under the US Aid. Our church has given substantial contributions the past 2 years through it’s Welfare and Self-Reliance branch.
I was only able to stay long enough to help prepare the building for the project, build temporary bins and help unload the supplies. Susie stayed another three weeks, to the end of August, to help fill the backpacks and care packages, and assist with the distribution for the first week.
It was very cool to watch the C17 cargo plane land at the little St. Kitts airport. We were also given the opportunity to tour the plane with the young missionaries and other volunteers.
The whole project involved many other volunteers from the community, local churches, including many members of our local congregation.
During those last three weeks, after I had returned to the US to help with family issues, Susie worked long and hard with other volunteers to prepare and participate in the distribution process. It was sweaty work, as you can see.
And a small sample of the end goal: kids with backpacks ready for school, and their families with care bags to help out a bit. The children modeled their new backpacks with pride. The several weeks spent on this project was hard work, but very rewarding!
And what Caribbean story would be complete without a tropical storm? Not this one! During those last three weeks Susie got to experience Tropical Storm Ernesto on her own holed up in our little apartment. Strong winds and rain, and a power outage for a couple days.
We will miss our friends and our life on St Kitts. It is a beautiful island with wonderful people.
And as of now, we are hanging up our nomad packs and setting down some roots, likely here in the St George Utah area. Dave’s 92 year mom is now living in an Independent retirement community, but needs our presence and care.
This is not the end of our travel, just the end of full-time nomadic travel. We have an extra couple of rooms if you’re ever passing through St. George and would like to visit!
Leave a Reply