Feb. 23, 2009 — While the people on a travel forum who donated school and office supplies to Guy Benjamin School in Coral Bay are scattered around the country, they have one thing in common: They love St. John.
Some visit often, others own property or timeshares and a few were first-time visitors. The donations got their start two years ago on the Virgin-Islands-On-Line and Trip Advisor forums, when St. John resident Dianne Otis mentioned the island's Christmas toy drive. One thing led to another, and soon forum participants were asking what else they could do. About 10 people sent supplies, Otis said.
"I knew there had to be needs all year round," said Bonnie Fenton, a resident of Peoria, Ill.
She, like many on the mainland, can shop at big-box stores that have shelves filled with items the school needs. And they get to take advantage of blockbuster sales that seldom happen at St. Thomas stores.
Wellesley, Mass., resident Sharon E. Lowe, like several others, said it was important to give back to the place where you vacation.
"Tourists come down, but they don't realize there are people in need," Lowe said.
Boston resident Sarah Bastille wanted to give back to the forum because she's gotten so much information from fellow forum members.
"And education is something very important to me," she said.
Plainsboro, N.J., resident John Stroin wants his son, Max, 5, to learn about helping other people. The two shopped for supplies together. And Stroin met Guy Benjamin when Benjamin spoke at a Friends of V.I. National Park seminar, which increased his interest in the school.
Pennsylvania resident Heather Rowe also has a young child, which made her want to get involved.
"Schools should have all the resources needed to make school a fun place for learning," she wrote in an email.
Scott Joyce of Mays Landing, N.J., who has been to St. John 13 or 14 times, said he'd do anything to help kids.
"And I try to stay involved," he said.
Merrimack, N.H., resident Carl Shoemaker wanted to repay a good turn when he shipped supplies to the school. When he visited last July, he tried to mail postcards, but the post office was closed. An older woman driving a Mercedes SUV or station wagon rummaged around in her pocketbook to find them some stamps. Shoemaker has tried via Virgin-Islands-On-Line to find out the woman's identity, but had no success.
Danville, Ill., resident Michael Souza, who visits twice a year, said he knows the cost of living is very high.
"We love the island so much," he said. "Anything we can do to help."
After shopping online at a warehouse store, he shipped 32 pounds of things such as construction paper, crayons and colored pencils to Otis for delivery to the school.
Otis, a Coral Bay resident, picks up the packages at the Mail Center and delivers them to the school. She said she was amazed at the generosity of people who send huge boxes filled with items on the school's wish list. The surface mail postage alone on one box ran $33.
"And somebody sent 1,000 pencils," she said.
Highlands Ranch, Colo., resident Kathy Ward, a retired teacher, delivered her package in person.
"I wanted to see the school," she said.
Guy Benjamin Principal Dionne Wells is delighted to receive the supplies.
"It helps us greatly with the needs in our classroom and office," Wells said.
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