A NEW SCHOOL YEAR MEANS A NEW YEAR FOR ROTARY CLUB BONAIRE'S BREAKFAST IN SCHOOL PROGRAM (BIS)

This new school year, 2011-2012, marks the seventh year of the successful Breakfast in Schools program organized by the Rotary Club of Bonaire. The program started in August 2004.

Each school day the program provides meals for 350 children who would otherwise go to school without breakfast. Including the after school program the BIS program provides 480 meals per school day. The meals provide a simple and nutritious meal that their growing bodies need. It also helps to curb their hunger pains and allows them to concentrate in school. It shows that the children are better prepared to focus and retain more during their school hours. Also aggressiveness is more under control. The meals were planned with the help of a nutritionist and a local caterer/purveyor TIS who prepares the food packages for daily distribution for creches and primary schools. SGB takes care of the purchase, preparation and distribution for their own students, with help in funding by the Rotary Club Bonaire.

From 2010 on the BIS program also distributed supplements and vitamins to the children in the BIS program on a voluntary basis. Our sponsor TEVA in Holland gives the BIS program for free the necessary amount of supplements and vitamins to distribute.

Participating schools include: San Bernardo, Papa Cornes, Luis Bertran, Reina Beatrix, Watapana, and Kristu Bon Wardador. The Stichting Project, an after school program at the Sentro di Bario Nord di Saliña, also receives food for lunch for youth in their program. Four creches receive meals for the little ones. SGB is also part of the program.

Over the years, several Bonaire entities have partnered with the Rotary Club of Bonaire and helped to raise funds for the program. Main sponsors over the years have been USONA, AMFO, Divi Flamingo Hotel, Buddy Dive Resort, and numerous private persons and businesses. At this moment AMFO is still helping the BIS program during the first semester of the new school year by funding 60% of the cost. Our local government is looking in to helping the funding from 2012 on.

For its seventh year, which started August 15th 2011, the Rotary club will be seeking to add more hotel partners as well as individual and business sponsors in support of this important and worthwhile project for kids. As 2012 is the 30th Anniversary of the Rotary Club Bonaire, in the plans are the third lively auction dinner for April 2012 whereby proceeds go to the BIS program and other youth projects.

A meal costs less than $2 and you can help by sponsoring a meal for a child for one month for only $35. For more information please contact Maricella Croes of the Rotary Club of Bonaire at 717-8922. If you want to help with a donation, we have MCB account 114238-08 of Stichting Rotary Bonaire open.

Help us to "Feed the body and the mind!"

If you have any questions about the Rotary Club of Bonaire, please e-mail us at info@RotaryBonaire.org.