The Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands (CFVI) has announced the opening of another Born Learning Trail on St. Thomas located at the Lindbergh Bay Park and Water Playground. The trail includes six signs designed to assist parents and child-care providers with creative ideas on communicating and interacting with their children. A special ribbon-cutting event is planned for 10 a.m. on Wednesday, March 2, and CFVI invites the public to come by and check out the trail. Light refreshments will be served.
Born Learning is a national public engagement campaign helping parents, caregivers and communities create early learning opportunities for young children. It is built on awareness, education and action, and is an initiative of The Family Connection (TFC), CFVI’s program to strengthen the community child care and early education infrastructure in the territory. Other trails have been placed by TFC at Magens Bay, sponsored by Standard Pacific Capital Holdings and at Winston Raymo Recreation Center and Playground, sponsored by Foresters. This new trail at the water playground is being sponsored by the Nigel O. Hodge Foundation. One of the named funds at CFVI was established by The Nigel O. Hodge Foundation 15 years ago to benefit children and families.
CFVI was established in 1990 with a $540,000 endowment from Henry and Charlotte Kimelman. Today, the Community Foundation has more than $7 million in assets and provides more than $1.7 million in annual grants, awards and scholarships across St. Croix, St. Thomas, St. John and Water Island. CFVI manages more than 100 named funds, administers scholarships and award programs, and coordinates the establishment of memorial funds. Donors can make contributions—indicating a general field of interest (the arts, education, early child care, the environment)—or direct the foundation’s board to use its judgment for awarding the funds.
For additional information about CFVI, phone 774-6031, write P.O. Box 11790, St. Thomas, USVI, 00801, or visit the Web site at www.cfvi.net
