RETREAT BUILDING FUND - SUCCESS!

Retreat ECI has a new school, thanks largely to Food For the Poor U.S. and WBSS. The grand opening took place Thursday, March 18 and some of us were there!

Food For The Poor in Canada and Jamaica helped to organize the project and build the school.

Many thanks to Robin Farquharson for donating the land for the new school and to Bank of Nova Scotia Jamaica Foundation for a generous donation towards fencing the property.

This project is in special memory of Peter Farquharson, whose family have lived and farmed at Retreat for several generations. Peter (d. 2006) and his wife Joy (d. 2005) had been good friends to all of us and staunch supporters of WBSS since we started - we miss them very much. Son Marshall and daughter Janet (Williams) want to commemorate them by dedicating the new school to their memory - it is now the Farquharson Early Childhood Institute.

LATEST PROJECT: "New Hope for Old Hope"

The school at Old Hope needs a kitchen extension and repairs to the bathroom. The funds we raise this year will go towards the construction materials.

Special project for 2009-10: TEACHERS' SCHOLARSHIP

Through our Teachers' Scholarship Fund for Westmoreland teachers to upgrade their skills, we awarded 13 scholarships totalling C$6,000 in 2009, and another C$5,200 in 2010.

Award presentation to the winning teachers at Strathbogie Teachers' Resource Centre, July 2009

For those who completed Year 3 of the 4-year diploma program, we are funding their final year, as well as more teachers entering Year 3 this year.

If you would like to help, please contact us at:

E-mail: INFO@WBSSINFO.CA