Aug. 26, 2004 – Thanks to a $30,000 donation from Golden Eagle Financial LLLP, the St. John School on Gifft Hill is a bit closer to paying for its planned gym.
K. Scott Sallee, a Golden Eagle partner, said his company, an Economic Development Program beneficiary, is interested in education. After learning that part of the school is currently housed in the Lumberyard Shopping Complex in Cruz Bay, company officials decided it was a good candidate for their philanthropic efforts.
"Education is a true investment in the natural resource of the Virgin Islands," Sallee said.
And Sallee and several of the company's other partners live on St. John, which brought their donation close to home.
Scott Crawford, the school's co-administrator, said the donation helps to give the school's capital campaign momentum.
He said the school needs a couple of million dollars to build the gym, road and athletic field. The gym, which will be a steel building, will initially be used to house classrooms until the school raises enough money to expand its Gifft Hill Road campus.
Crawford said the plan is to break ground for the new building in October and to move in by March.
Pine Peace School, located on Gifft Hill Road, and The Coral Bay School, housed in the Lumberyard complex since it opened its doors four years ago, joined forces this summer as The St. John School on Gifft Hill.
Thanks to other donations, the school owns land to expand near what was the Pine Peace School. Crawford said the Sandy Hill and Thomas H. Dittmer Foundation made a generous donation. The land owner, Reliance Housing, discounted the price and St. John Realtor Gretchen Labrenz waived her commission.
Sallee said Golden Eagle opened for business on Oct. 1, 2003. The company provides financial consulting services, mainly in the beverage and insurance industries. Charitable giving is required of firms receiving tax benefits through the territory's Economic Development Program.
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