Grenada is my home

Interview with Mark Scott, Director of Development, de Savary Properties.

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What made you want to become involved in supporting reading and writing projects in Grenada and what drew you to the Grenada Community Library in particular?

I’ve been inspired by Suzanne Curry, the director and head teacher of Grenada Montessori & Preparatory School, in particular her interest in and passion for education.

I wanted to help more children through the library system, because the community library provides facilities to everybody and serves more people through access and opportunity.

Books are important to me. I am an avid reader, and one of my favourite story-tellers is Salman Rushdie.

What is your sense of philanthropy, both personally and as a businessman?

I’ve worked with Peter de Savary on a full-time basis for 25 years and he’s been involved with numerous children’s charities in U.K., in particular the Teenage Cancer Trust. I learned from him the value of helping children.

I also think it is important to give back. I’ve lived in Grenada for many years and have been a citizen of Grenada for 7 years. This is my home and I like to help in the community where I can.

What are your hopes for Grenada’s future?

I believe it’s important to attract foreign investment, and to create full employment through the hotel and other industries. I hope to see the tourist industry grow, to build the economy and to help create jobs for all.

Education continues throughout our lives and a good community library is an important part of this.

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Mount Cinnamon Resort is our Partner For Literacy for the month of February. 

“THE GRENADA CHOCOLATE FAMILY” BOOK WINS 4 GOURMAND NATIONAL AWARDS AND IS NOMINATED 4 TIMES IN SHORTLIST FOR INTERNATIONAL ‘BEST IN THE WORLD’ AWARDS

The Grenada Chocolate Family, based on stories written by children in the Grenada Community Library’s free creative writing program, has been awarded 4 National Awards by the prestigious Gourmand World Cookbook Awards, and has also been shortlisted in an unprecedented 4 categories for the final International awards in May.

Gourmand World Cookbook Awards is considered the “Oscars” of cookbook awards and are inspired by the spirit of the Olympic Games. Its President, Mr Edouard Cointreau, personally invited the Grenada Community library to enter their first publication into the international cookbook competition, calling the book “very special”. The Grenada Chocolate Family, produced in collaboration with the Grenada Chocolate Fest, is a story and colouring book edited by the library’s co-founder Oonya Kempadoo and Richardo Keens-Douglas and illustrated by Sara Scoddler in consultation with Grenadian artist, Stacey Byer. All proceeds from the sale of the book support the operation of the library as a free public service.

The Grenada Chocolate Family is the National winner in the following categories: Best Caribbean Cuisine Book, Best Children’s Food Book, Best Chocolate Book and Charity & Fund Raising. This is a magnificent achievement for Grenada and the Caribbean as it is the only book, out of hundreds of entries, to have been shortlisted in four categories for the final International awards. The Grenada Community Library has been invited to attend the Best in the World Awards ceremony in May 2017 in Yantai Wine Bay, China, and will represent Grenada amongst more than 150 competing countries. If The Grenada Chocolate Family wins this prestigious competition it will carry the title of “Best in the World”.

The magic of libraries

Local writer and blogger Sherry ‘The Wordy Phoenix’ Hamlet shares her thoughts on the Grenada Community Library as well as reflecting on her own early experience with borrowing books from the public library.

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“In a good bookroom you feel in some mysterious way that you are absorbing the wisdom contained in all the books through your skin, without even opening them.”

― Mark Twain

Libraries are important to my reading journey. I still marvel at their existence at all. It’s like I found a door to this beautiful, magical portal in the universe. A portal which proves itself a doorway to other universes. All of this, through the brilliance of books, words and a space to enjoy them for free.

We don’t have a National Library any more. It was destroyed along with so many other buildings in my country during the passage of hurricane Ivan and since then, a library hasn’t been as readily available to the public.

The Grenada Community Library started as a dream to fill that void. The dream was set into motion by a small handfull of volunteers that wanted Grenada to have a chance at the experience, a chance of ease of access to books despite economic status.

The volunteers grew and so did the library and soon they sought after a space that would allow this growth to continue. After much moving and a name change, ladies and gentlemen, the Grenada Community Library had a permanent home just across from the top of Market Hill in the Number 7 building!

I attended their launch and shared some of my poetry with those in attendance. I felt it was quite appropriate to share one of my poems that I keep close to my heart. It was the first poem I shared on a grand stage back in the day… It speaks about how words have embedded themselves on the walls of my soul in ink. How they have walked with me throughout my life and continue to be with me on every journey in some way or another; through poetry, prose and theatre, through song, speech and books!

Until a teacher invested in me (thank you Mrs. Peters, I remember), until another teacher read to me (thank you Ms. Frame, I remember), and until a group of friends and I made our way to find the book my teacher never finished (she moved, don’t blame her) at the public library.

That book was The Wizard of Oz if you are interested. It was really hard, there were so many words I didn’t know but the font was big enough and the librarian said I had two full weeks to finish it before I was expected to return it. TWO FULL WEEKS to figure it out!

I did. Then I went back and she said as I handed it to her, “Would you like to check out another while you bring this one back?” I thought, “What? I…can do that?!” I said, “YES!”

Now I don’t only read books. I write them.

Read more from ‘The Wordy Phoenix on her blog, Sandals & Sunnies.

10 Questions with…KizzyAnn

1. What is your name?
KizzyAnn Abraham

2. Which parish are you from?
St. George

3. What do you do at the Grenada Community Library?
I am the Operations Manager.

4. What is your dream for the Grenada Community Library?
That the library becomes a space that the most marginalized take pride in and have access. Very often those most marginalized never get to benefit from resource centers and as a result, miss opportunities to keep updated with information and technology relevant to their livelihoods. Among the most marginalized are youth and among them young boys. It would be an achievement to see the library promote activities that will foster their inclusion.

5. Do you remember the first book you ever read and how you felt?
I don’t remember the first book I read, but I do remember the first one that impacted my life.

6. What was it?
It’s called Left to Tell by Immaculée Ilibagiza.

7. Favourite Book?
It would have to be Left To Tell, a biography of one woman’s story surviving the Rwandan Holocaust. Whenever I am overcome with feelings of anger, despair, contempt I am reminded of Immaculée and her capacity to forgive, love, and move on despite the odds. I am also reminded that there is more to life that the grief we carry, and that love conquers all.

8. Favourite character from a book and why?
Kainene, from Half of a Yellow Sun, because she appeals to me as an independent, strong willed, calculated woman. A combination of intelligence, power, sexual prowess, sarcasm and compassion wrapped up in feminine aura.

9. What are you currently reading?
Breath, Eyes, Memory a novel by Edwidge Danticat

10. Why do you think reading for pleasure is important?
Two words: stress relief. Reading for pleasure is a great way to get your mind off your own worries and focused on the narrative of someone else. It’s also a great way to keep your mind stimulated and well-informed. You can always tell how actively a person reads because there are no limits to what you will learn from them or where the conversation will end up. Reading helps you meet new people and build lasting friendships.

-Interview done by local blogger Grenada Soul Adventurer, a blog about collecting the wisdom of living through exploring and adventuring.

Investing in our youth and community

Interview with Julie Quinn of Quinn Company Limited.

What made you want to become involved in supporting reading and writing projects in Grenada?

“We all know how important building reading skills are in the development of a child and enabling them to succeed in educational programmes. With the closure of the St. George’s library, the need for this resource became more critical for building these capabilities amongst not only the youth but others needing help with improving literacy.”

What drew you to the Grenada Community Library in particular?

“In today’s society it is becoming harder to achieve any success without being literate. In our industry and business we see every day the need for adult literacy programmes and the deficiencies we have in this area. So this aspect of the community library is something that is very necessary and exciting for us.

In addition, the dedication and creativity of Oonya and the library team is infectious. They put so much of their personal time and effort into the creation of this when the need arose. Their more recent involvement in the creation of stories and story-telling that is relevant in the local context is exciting for Grenada. At the same time, they are exposing young people to the world through literature. When they reached out for assistance we could not resist.”

Would you like to share any personal experiences with reading and libraries?

“I was fortunate growing up to have both a school library as well as a community library where I could check out books. As we grew up, that library was also the resource centre for school projects and research. Libraries played a key role in my development including appreciating reading, improving vocabulary and broadening my perspective on things unfamiliar to me in my home town. I think all children should have this opportunity.”

What is your sense of philanthropy, both personally and as a business owner?

“Philanthropy is key to our business philosophy of giving back to the communities in which we work. The projects we support contribute to the positive growth and development of youth and community, the preservation of art, culture and heritage, as well as community health and safety issues.  We are selective in the projects we get involved with and ensure that they are in line with our values and goals as a company. This is especially true when it comes to historic preservation and environmental issues.”

What are your hopes for Grenada’s future?

“Greater self-sufficiency and development that is positive and sustainable. We have so much potential in Grenada. I hope that we use our resources for the benefit of our country with a long-term vision for ‘Pure Grenada’.”

 

Quinn Company Limited is our Partner For Literacy for the month of  January.