Yesterday I had the opportunity to meet Alay Star Marley Burgess Rocker. Alay celebrated her sixth birthday on April 15th; she is in Miss Smith’s class at Purvis Primary. Alay loves to sing and dance. Earlier in the year Alay decided she didn’t wish to receive presents for her sixth birthday but instead wished to help children who couldn’t afford school lunches.

Alay and her mother met with Nicola Feldman, Executive Director of the Coalition for the Protection of Children. The Coalition partnered with Alay and her mother. Nicola assisted by contacting Guidance Counsellors at schools who they already assist with their breakfast programme. They projected fundraising for 50 to 60 lunches. DAE Catering offered their services free of charge because of the cause. Ms Burgess sent out a newsletter to her friends explaining the idea and the message started to circulate. Ms Burgess told us she was surprised by the response. One woman offered to bake all the cookies and a gentleman donated all the bottles of water, whilst others donated wholesale snacks. They even had comics donated to include in the lunch boxes donated by The Comic Shop.

On April 15th a group of volunteers assisted with putting together the lunch boxes and then delivering them to the respective schools. Ms Burgess told us “I would like to see an issue like this diminished in Bermuda, I don’t think we should have children going to school without lunches.”

Alay delivered a total of 65 lunch boxes to children across the island. A total of $3,500 was fundraised and given to The Coalition for The Protection of Children breakfast programme.