By Elysia Dial

In February Wild Orchid Properties, seeing the need for the completion of the St. John’s Memorial School expansion project, generously donated $50,000 and that along with the Placencia Land Reclamation Project’s donation of $25,000 helped to get the figurative “ball rolling” again. When the project came to a halt initially the stairways to the second level had been completed and the exterior walls were up. The project still had a long way to go.

With Wild Orchid’s help work quickly resumed. Richard “Charo” Westby, organized the crew that is doing the work on the school and has been on site most days making sure the project is moving along on schedule. Conduits have been installed throughout the upper level, the center wall has been put up, and beams for the roof have been cast. Wayne Williams, the government engineer working on the reservoir at the Seine Bight Water Tower, loaned the plywood, form boards and bush sticks from his project to the school and Jenny Wesby and the crew from MNM Hardware here in Placencia helped to transport the materials from Seine Bight to the school. The form boards are being put in and by the end March the roof should be completed.

Another phase of the expansion project was the moving of the school’s library to a new spot on the school grounds. Deb Vernon, Stephanie Wandke, Alyson Pohlman, Bonnie Titone, Billie Jo Johnson, and Megan Phares came out to pack up all the books that were in the library and the children of Standard V & VI moved the boxes. Cassie Dial kindly lent her truck to move all the boxes to the downstairs of Kristine Small’s house, which helped to speed up the process. Red Moon Development came in, hoisted up the library and then using their tractor the work crew maneuvered the library to its new location which is in front of the principal’s house. Not only did they move it, they raised it high enough to have a downstairs put underneath it and extended the stairs to accommodate the new height. Volunteers have started reorganizing the library and library sessions should resume after the Easter holiday break.

And because things really seem to be on a roll there is yet another phase to talk about! Dean Ferrell, of the Placencia Football Club in conjunction with Turtle Inn, approached the school to find out how they could help out with the school. A project that was identified immediately was repairs and renovations to the school’s bathrooms. Turtle Inn’s work crew came in and replaced all the doors and door frames, painted inside and out, repaired a toilet that was not working properly, and fixed and reinforced the sinks.

The entire school compound has really been a hive of activity! It is really nice to see such an outpouring of support for Placencia’s school. We thank everyone that has helped us to get as far as we have to date! Your help has made a tremendous difference in the conditions at St. John’s Memorial School.

For more information about this project contact or to find out how you can help please call David Vernon – 600-6044 and Rodney Griffith @ St. John’s – 523-3178.