Dr. William Connor Primary principal Anthony Wiltshire hands over cheque to school patron Lenny Ottley.

Students and staff of the Dr. William Connor Primary School wrapped up their community outreach activities this week by donating to a school patron and several elderly villagers.
Principal Anthony Wiltshire, along with several students and teachers, visited St. Johnson villager Lenny Ottley on Wednesday, June 23, in a show of generosity and community spirit. Ottley was left paralyzed from the waist down after he was shot during a robbery at his family’s business in December 2007.

On behalf of his school, Wiltshire presented Ottley with a cheque for $300.
“June 21st is our school’s patriarch the late Dr. William Connor’s birthday, and this year we decided to not just celebrate among ourselves at the school but to reach out to the surrounding communities. The Ottley family has been very generous over the years; always assisting whenever the school asked for financial donations for various events, so the students, staff and parents were only too happy to make this gesture of gratitude to Lenny,” Wiltshire said.

The educator thanked Ottley for his longstanding support of the primary school, which he said had continued despite Ottley’s physical disability.

A visibly emotional Ottley said he was touched by the gesture though it was somewhat unexpected.

“I was surprised when someone called from the school to say they had a presentation to make to me. I am so used to giving and helping the school that it feels kind of strange to be on the receiving end. It means a lot to me that the students, parents, and teachers have kept me in their thoughts and prayers,” he expressed.

The school entourage also visited ten elderly persons within the school’s environs, bestowing large food packages upon Nora ‘Miss Finey’ Stapleton, Mr. Norris, Andy Merritt, Mrs. Lewis, Evenly Hamilton, Frances Benjamin, Iris Peets, Lisa Wilkes, Lillian Thompson and Mr. Powell.

The community outreach was preceded on Tuesday, June 22, with a special church service and the annual parade through downtown Basseterre.

Hundreds of students and staff, along with some parents, marched through the streets carrying placards, singing and waving. The procession made its way from the Antioch Baptist Church at St. Johnston Village, along Central Street into Basseterre, up Fort Street and along Cayon Street, then back to the school. The lively bunch was flanked by pom-pom girls and a drum corps. Upon arrival at the school, the children were treated to ice cream; a tradition that started with Dr. Connor and has been continued through the largesse of the Antioch Baptist Church.

Wiltshire said in light of their celebratory theme “Fostering relationships for a better school and community”, it was important for the students to interact with the people who not only supported the school over the years, but who helped shaped their communities. He added that the students learned very valuable lessons such as charity and showing appreciation from the community outreach, which he hoped they would continue to practice.