ib Adopts a Local School
As if there weren’t enough reasons to love the team at ib designs, let’s add their most recent community service project to the list. While most of you know ib designs for their stunning collections of locally handcrafted ‘feel good’ jewelry, Kris and Whealan Massicott and their ib family have recently taken on a major project to beautify and upgrade the playground areas at Lew Muckle Elementary School. Now, they need our support to continue their work.
ib designs has supported Lew Muckle Elementary in the past by donating art supplies to the classrooms, and recorders to the music program. So, when COVID-19 hit St. Croix and businesses were forced to close, the ib designs staff took advantage of that time to help out. After Kris spoke to Resa O’Reilly, founder of local non-profit organization Project Promise, she learned that Lew Muckle Elementary School needed some beautification. The ib designs team jumped into action by taking advantage of their downtime to clean and paint the benches around the playground. However, between their conversations with Resa and their time spent working at the school they found that so much more was needed.
When I spoke to Kris about Lew Muckle Elementary school, she passionately told me: ‘This school is in the heart of Sion Farm, and it should be a beacon of light for the entire neighborhood.’ While those are powerful words, Kris is a woman of action who organized another two days of beautification projects at the school with several other local businesses including Sion Farm Distillery and Ferdi’s Forest. Volunteers dug up some tree roots and made a planter on the corner to beautify the property. They also cleaned up the existing playground and made some improvements that will make it safer for the kids. The ib designs team is also working with Linden Frederiks to paint the doors on the Project Promise classrooms, which are currently mismatched because of repairs from Hurricane Maria.
In the longer term, Kris is working to secure financial assistance by finding some sponsors/donors for some larger ticket items. For example, they want to have a ‘Lew Muckle Elementary School’ sign made for the school and give it pride of place out front for all the neighborhood to see. Perhaps more importantly, there is currently no playground equipment for the younger kids who really need the physically exercise at recess. Can you imagine being 6 years old and not having playground equipment to play on at school?! Kris and her team would like to buy and install equipment so these little kids have a real playground to play on. The playground area also doesn’t currently have any trees, so they would like to plant some breadfruit trees to provide shade as well as to teach the kids about local agriculture.
It may sound cliche, but the children ARE our future. If you would like to help Kris and the ib designs family with this important community project, please contact Kris Massicott by email at ibdesignsvi@gmail.com or call (340) 773-4322. They are currently seeking financial donations to help with purchase of the playground equipment.
The GOTO Team would like to thank ib designs and for their hard work in tackling these projects, as well as the businesses and individuals that are helping out with the upcoming beautification. Like Coretta Scott King said: ‘The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.’ Thank you for your service to our community!
-Jennie Ogden, Editor
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