CALLS Dominica

Sorry - the last blog post had a different focus and I didn't mention CALLS - the Centre Where Adolescents Learn to Love and Serve in Dominica.

Searching out CALLS to get them to do our laundry

Soon I will be able to change out of this attractive ensemble!

CALLS supports kids between 17 and 24 who have fallen through the cracks. Many of the girls have babies. All of the kids have been unsuccessful in the public school system for a variety of reasons.

CALLS' mandate is to build character and help the kids get enough of a grounding that they can be successful on their own.

It is the kind of program that takes a special staff to work with these damaged kids and I have always had great admiration for the efforts of people who work in these situations.

I met with Doug Primrose from Yale Secondary school and Jinder Sarowa from Robert Bateman Secondary School this summer before we came down to the boat to collect tee-shirts from past events. I know from experience that you order 250 tee-shirts for an event but you only use 225 of them. You never want to be short so you always end up with extras... and they sit in storage forever.

So Jinder and Doug gave us a ton (actually 50 pounds) of tee-shirts and assorted clothing. Westjet gave us free luggage to bring them down to the boat and we've been storing them to give to an appropriate charity. And CALLS seemed just like the right place.

Feels good to be able to help in a small way.

So, as we watched the parade to start off Carnival, it was heartwarming to see one of the shirts on a young man. I approached him just as he lit up a spliff and asked him if I could take a picture of him wearing the shirt.

He said, "No." So no photo.

You do what you can!!!

Down at the market, you can hear ladies cry out while on their heads they bear...

Bought some "Coolies" or jacks

And had them for lunch!