Reading Tutor takes 2011 Unsung Hero

User Rating:  / 1

Details

Parent Category: Oct 2011

Category: Week ending Oct 29th, 2011

Hits: 552

A former employee of St. George's University (SGU) who has been giving her time and talent to assist young children with reading is this year's CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank (FCIB) Unsung Hero for Grenada.

 Jeanne Pascal who has been supported by her husband, Everest has been rewarded by the bank with $16,200.00 for the upkeep of the Mt. Airy Young Readers Programme during an awards ceremony held last week Thursday at the Grenada National Stadium.

 The programme started with seven persons on the verandah of  Pascal's residence at St. Paul's.

 It was inspired when she was approached by a parent who informed her that her son was unable to progress in school as he was unable to read.

 According to Acting Country Head of the Bank, Larry Lawrence who made the presentation of a cheque and plaque to Pascal, the initiative which they got into is a reminder that there are kind people in the world who genuinely care about others and will give freely of their time and of themselves to ensure that the needs of others are met.

 Lawrence said eight years ago when CIBC FCIB started the unsung heroes programme it was because the bank realised that there were people in communities throughout the Caribbean, who were giving selflessly and assisting others without looking for rewards.

 He stated that over the years, the bank has been able to discover "some wonderful people" in the region who have very little resources of their own, but are able to find the necessary resources to help others.

 "They find the resources to help old people, sick people, children, animals, and even to preserve our history. They do not seek media attention, and are often quite modest about their achievement," he said.

 The Country Head pointed out that CIBC FCIB has been gratified to know that the funds from the unsung heroes programme have been able to assist these "Good Samaritans," in their various communities to further their work of helping more people.

 Pascal will now be among 21 other finalists vying for the Regional Unsung Hero for 2011.

 Every year, entries are received from the 17 countries in which CIBC FirstCaribbean operates.

 FirstCaribbean's Unsung Heroes Programme was piloted in 2003 and has become the flagship for volunteerism in the Caribbean.

 The appreciative 2011 Unsung Hero spoke of feeling honoured and blessed to be named the Unsung Hero for Grenada.

 Pascal said the money will assist them in being able to provide suitable working space for the young readers.

 The Mt. Airy Young Readers Programme is a voluntary literacy programme that was started five years ago.

 Pascal said most Saturdays there are about 35 to 50 children attending the programme and challenged the participants to do their best at all times.

 "Aim for the stars and success will be yours. You can become anything that you want to be, but you must first learn to read and study hard at school," she remarked.

 Due to lack of space at the community center, some children are tutored under a nearby mango tree.

 Pascal said at present their main focus is to have the upper level of the Mt. Airy Community Centre built in order to accommodate a classroom, computer lab, library and a drop-in centre for the youth of Mt. Airy.

 The 2011 CIBC FCIB Unsung Hero used the occasion to make an appeal to Parliamentary Representative for St. George's South East, Karl Hood who was present at the awards ceremony to provide assistance for the project.

 Hood announced that although it has been tough in finding resources, government has discovered some funds for work to be done on the Mt. Airy Community Centre.

 He said having seen the condition under which the Mt. Airy Readers Programme is being operated he is committing himself to finding the resources to ensure that work is done on the upper level of the building.

• < Prev
• Next >