Mt. Airy Young Readers Program and Workboat Races

Children and Cruisers at the Mt. Airy Young Readers Program

Spelling Bee....Reshawna, on the right, is one girl from Carol's group

Workboats and families on Grande Anse beach

Launching a workboat before a race

Two workboats take off after their race started

Saturday was a big day for us. The day started with us participating in the Mt. Airy Young Reader's program. The program was started by a Grenadian man, who was a teacher, and his wife. They began by inviting youth to their home on Saturdays to help with their reading. The word spread and more and more children began arriving by public buses from all over the island. They eventually moved to the community center to accommodate all of the children, ages 4 - 16. Today, the man who started the program is in his 80's but his wife still runs the program. Cruisers who found out about the program started volunteering to help out, so each week a bus load goes up to Mt. Airy in the gorgeous Grenada mountains and reads with groups of children. There are very few books and everything they use appears to be from many years ago. There are no books for older children. This is definitely a program, among many, that could use donations of books and materials to enhance the children's reading experience.

Yesterday's Young Reader's program had a different than normal format since it is the weekend of Grenada's Independence Day. Many of the children came dressed in the colors of Grenada - red, green, and gold - and the morning was filled with songs, prayers, spelling bees, a Grenada trivia game, outdoor games - soccer, frisbee and kite-flying; and then a one-pot meal of rice, beans, and chicken. After the final prayer, two young girls sang a song for all of us and we said our farewells before we left to head back to town.

On the way back, we got off the bus at Grande Anse beach so we could watch the workboat races, which is part of Grenada Sailing Week. Workboats are shallow draft, wood boats, with bamboo masts and sails that appear to be made from old sailboat sails. Before the race, they launch the boat by dragging it into the water and over the waves, then they attach the wooden rudder and hop in the boat when the starting gun fires. At the end of the race the captain jumps out when they reach the beach and runs up to the official table to check in and drink a shot of rum.

If you know anything about the Caribbean then you know that the beach is quite a festive happening during the races with music, games, dancing, swimming, and drinking! There are boats everywhere and families play in the water and on the beach while enjoying the festivities. Grande Anse beach is definitely the most beautiful beach in Grenada with water that is aqua and blue and so inviting. If you have not been here - you must come and visit sometime!