US Embassy Partners with Ben & Jerrys to Beautify Two Inner City Communities

January 30, 2012

Woodcock Primary school students on playset donated by Ben & Jerrys (Photo State Dept.)

Volunteer clean up at Father Marshall Cooper Park (Photo State Dept.)

In true Ben & Jerry’s style, the world famous Ice Cream Company continued its philanthropic efforts during its annual Global Franchise Meeting held at the Atlantis Resort.  On Friday, January 27, more than 200 Ben & Jerry’s volunteers from around the world along with US Embassy volunteers took time out to  participate in two community service projects at the Embassy’s adopted school, Woodcock Primary and the Father Marshall Cooper Park in Mason’s Addition. 

The teams of volunteers were split into groups with the names of popular Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream flavors and immediately went to work.  At the park, volunteers spent the day planting trees, cleaning up debris, landscaping and painting. They also repaired the playground equipment and bleachers.  By the end of the afternoon, the park was transformed into a recreational space that residents in the community can now enjoy, demonstrating the power of public-private partnerships. 

Over at Woodcock Primary School, the excitement was in the air among the four hundred students, staff and administrators. Volunteers spent the day installing the school’s very first playground, painting bleachers and the interior and exterior of the school. The objective, to create an environment that would inspire the children to learn and encourage positive daily interaction.

After the completion of both beautification projects, the volunteers came together at Woodcock Primary School for an ice cream celebration with the enthusiastic students.  To express their gratitude, Woodcock students, who are also the 2011 Junior Junkanoo champions for the primary school division, put on a spectacular Junkanoo rush-out for the volunteers and invited guests.  On hand for the thank you celebration for the volunteers were Woodcock’s Principal, Mrs. Willemae Bridgewater, US Chargè d’Affaires John Dinkelman, Ben & Jerry’s Co-Founder Jerry Greenfield, Ben and Jerry’s CEO Jostein Solheim, Ministry of Education Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Elma Garraway and District Superintendent, Mr. Howard Newbold.

To make the events a success, Ben & Jerry’s donated over $40,000 in play and park equipment for the two projects and Atlantis, home to the only Ben & Jerry’s franchise in The Bahamas contributed $9,000. The Ministry of Education and the Department of  Public Works supplied, paint, ladders, rakes and other materials for the upgrades to the school and the park in Mason’s Addition.  Both projects were led by Creative Kids Craft & Woodwork Ltd, one of The Bahamas’ top playground equipment companies.