This busy holiday season, Frenchman’s Reef continued to spread cheer and donations across the St. Thomas community. To kick off the season of giving, Frenchman’s Reef Associates, in conjunction with the USVI Hotel and Tourism Association (USVIHTA), visited the Boys and Girls Club of St. Thomas to deliver turkeys to each of the children at the St. Thomas and St. John locations.
Turkeys were brought home for each family to host their own Thanksgiving dinner and additional turkeys were provided for the annual Thanksgiving feast hosted at the center.
Lisa Hamilton of USVIHTA has been a leader in the coordination of these efforts for many years. As she said, “The importance of continuing this long-standing tradition is vital in our community. It brings us all together in the holiday spirit – breaking bread with friends and family in celebration allows us all the opportunity to focus on what is important – the people we love and care for. Working with Frenchman’s Reef in providing these turkeys, lets our community know that we are here to support our youth and their families. We are a support system that is happy to make what can be a stressful time of year just a bit easier.”
Following a busy Thanksgiving season, Frenchman’s Reef stressed that everyone needs to rest and relax… but for a cause! They encouraged the community to “Take Time For You; Make a Difference For Others” because they are donating 10% of the proceeds from all Heavenly Spa Services from Nov. 22 – Dec. 23 to the Family Resource Center.
“The Family Resource Center does vital work in our community, and we are proud to support them. While it is devastating to hear the statistics of violence and domestic violence in our community, we are grateful that there are organizations such as the Family Resource Center here to render aid and assistance to victims. It is through education, counseling and assistance that we can hope to see everyone living in a safe and loving home” said Kurt Wiksten, managing director of Frenchman’s Reef.
As many teachers begin to prepare their 2024 agendas, Frenchman’s Reef is proud to support the School Kids in the Park (SKIP) program hosted by the Friends of the National Park with an $8,000 donation which encourages teachers to bring their students to the park for a “living classroom.” The donation will help to fund barriers that may prevent schools and children from utilizing the island’s natural elements to educate the importance of island preservation for Virgin Islands culture, marine life and vegetation.
Program Director Mark Gestwicki said, “Friends of Virgin Islands National Park believes that providing youth with meaningful experiences in our park is critical to fostering the next generation of environmental stewards. This generous donation will help fund our School Kids in the Park (SKIP) program which provides transportation, field trip leaders, classroom visits and learning tools for schools on St. Thomas and St. John.”
During Christmas, the donations didn’t slow down. Frenchman’s Reef was, yet again, busy shopping for toys for the children of the Boys and Girls Club (B&GC) and Kirwan Terrace and Hospital Ground in conjunction with the USVI Hotel and Tourism Association. Associates spread holiday cheer by delivering toys to children as a reminder that this community is here to support our youth whether it be holiday spirit, toys, mentorship and/or future careers.
Catherine Totman, hotel manager of Buoy Haus, shared that “Visiting these children has become one of the highlights of the season for me. They greet you with excited smiles, not just for the gifts but for the joy of telling you about their day, what they did in school, how their grades are going and more. You can feel their sense of accomplishment, and we are so proud to be able to help add to their holiday cheer.”
Frenchman’s Reef thanks the community for all of its support through this momentous year of opening the reimagined Frenchman’s Reef. We wish all Virgin Islanders a peaceful and prosperous New Year!
