The baby and toddler room of the Philipsburg Jubilee Library sports a new activity-table surrounded by tiny chairs thanks to a donation from Island Gems Charity Foundation. The new furniture gives babies and toddlers a place to hold fun-time-meetings and to play with siblings and friends.
The library approached the all-women Island Gems with a wish list of a number of items required to keep the library in top shape, make children and parents comfort and encourage reading at all levels and ages.
Island Gems, as it has done in the past, originally selected furniture for the children’s department of the library. However, due to a shipping error, furniture came instead for the baby and toddler room. “It turned out to be a lucky mistake,” said Island Gems president Alita Singh. “We saw it as soon as we visited the room with Library Director Monique Alberts to see the placement of the furniture.”
Island Gems Treasurer Kerisha James, board member Jody Rosen, member Anita Amarnaney and Singh recently witnessed two toddlers making use of the furniture. Island Gems encourages other community groups, organizations and businesses to contact the library to learn more about its needs and programmes that are geared to creating a more educated and aware community.
Island Gems raises money for projects like the furniture for the library during its annual gala costume dinner. The dinner is the only fund-raising activity the Gems hosts annually. This year’s costume gala dinner themed “Caribbean Creole,” will be at Captain Oliver’s restaurant in Oyster Pond on Saturday, March 28. A silent auction coincides with the dinner, offering everything from prizes at top restaurants to hotel stays and paintings.
Highlights of this year’s silent auction are the annual Private Chef Dinner for Eight from St. Maarten’s Iron Chef Dino Jagtiani of Temptation restaurant and a personalized portrait by Knight in the Order of Oranje-Nassau Artist Roland Richardson.
A line-up of St. Maarten’s best entertainers and talents will keep the evening lively and fun. Performers include The York Generations on steelpans, Lomeno “DJ Fun Ten” Brison, Arias, and Master of Ceremonies Leroy “King Beau Beau” Brooks.
Very limited tickets are available for the gala dinner. Tickets cost US $125 each and are available from Island Gems members.
