First Lady Receives $2,500 Donation from First Bank for Healthy VI-School Gardens Project, Issues Matching Challenge to Virgin Islands Businesses

Composting, Recycling Agenda in Place for All VI Elementary Schools

First Lady Cecile de Jongh was pleased to accept a check from First Bank Wednesday for a donation of $2,500 to the Healthy VI-School Gardens Project. The announcement was held at the First Bank waterfront location and was an opportunity to highlight the partnership between the First Lady and First Bank in the commitment to raising awareness on conservation, recycling, and going green in the Territory. 

“As a community we are focusing more and more on conservation efforts, especially given these tough economic times. Toward that end, First Bank continues to be a wonderful partner in promoting the importance of taking individual steps to reduce costs, conserve resources, and be healthier. With this donation, we will purchase additional compost bins and gardening supplies for elementary schools throughout the Territory with the goal of establishing compost sites at all elementary schools. I thank First Bank for their partnership and challenge Virgin Islands businesses to match this contribution towards eventually establishing school gardens on each island,” First Lady de Jongh said. 

Funds will be raised throughout the summer so that compost bins may be delivered to schools in the fall. “We are starting with the elementary schools and hope to work with other grade levels in the near future.” First Lady de Jongh looks forward to working with students, teachers, and administrators in utilizing the nutrient-rich soil produced from the composts to help establish school gardens Territory-wide. In keeping with this objective, First Lady de Jongh has developed a video that will be disseminated to all schools and community partners on the basics of starting and maintaining a compost site.

Joseph Sibilly Elementary School received a compost bin from First Lady de Jongh earlier this month after winning a Territory-wide raffle for all elementary schools. The compost was donated to the Healthy VI—School Gardens Project by the Environmental Association of St. Thomas/St. John (EAST), MSI Building Supply, Sanitation Solutions, and Sea Chest. The First Lady hopes to donate twenty-one additional composts Territory-wide as part of the Healthy VI—School Gardens Project.