Public Relations Director of the Rotary Club of Tortola, Jevaughn Rhymer reading to a group of students of the BVI Autism Centre's summer programme. Photo: Provided

Programme Director of the Autism Centre, Ms Lorna Dawson gives a presentation to the Rotary Club of Tortola. Photo: Provided

A member of the Rotary Club of Tortola reads to some young students of the BVI Autism Centre's summer programme. Photo: Provided

The latest to demonstrate acts of selflessness and nobility are members of the Rotaract Club of Tortola, who have made a pledge to support the BVI Autism Centre.

According to the lead on this project, Vice President of the Rotaract Club of Tortola, Akilah Corbin, “there are four components of the project” which includes: (1) the upgrade of the Centre’s resource room; (2) the provision of teaching tools; (3) an awareness campaign; and (4) one on one interaction with students and staff.

Ms Corbin highlighted that the project would be primarily funded by a district grant from Rotary District 7020.

Services pledged

Rotaract will use these funds to work closely with the BVI Autism Centre to provide an upgraded resource room and teaching tools to enhance the services offered. Rotaract will also engage in activities throughout the year to support the work of the Centre and further educate the Virgin Islands community about autism.

Programme Director of the BVI Autism Centre, Ms Lorna Dawson expressed gratitude to the Club for their support. She highlighted that “it is important for the BVI community to become more aware and supportive of persons living with autism.”  

The Rotaract Club of Tortola started its outreach efforts by visiting the Centre and reading to the students who are attending the summer programme. Members of the club will also have the opportunity to undergo training facilitated by the Centre where they would be sensitised to the intricacies of working with persons with Autism.

The Club is for young persons between ages 18-30 and meets on the 1^st, 3^rd and 5^th Fridays of the month at the Department of Youth Affairs and Sports Conference Room at 5:30 P.M. For further information, the club can be contacted via email at rotaract.club.tortola@gmail.com.

Only recently a number of young people formed themselves into a group known as Together We Stand (TWS), with the objective of bringing about the changes they wish to see in the Virgin Islands community.

The group was formed on June 16, 2016 and has been actively serving the community. Its membership is about 33 and counting.