History of Rotary in Saint Lucia, Caribbean

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A Part of District 7030

Rotary in St. Lucia has been active in all avenues since its introduction to our country in 1966, with three clubs providing service – The Rotary Club of St. Lucia, The Rotary Club of Gros Islet and The Rotary Club of St. Lucia (South).

These clubs have provided assistance in a number of areas under the themes of education and literacy, human development and health.

Many students have benefited from scholarships and have therefore been able to attend secondary school.
Vocational service seminars have been convened at the UWI Centre and elsewhere.
Additionally, Career Guidance talks and booklets have been delivered to Secondary School Students islandwide by Rotarians.
Annually, Rotary has donated Vocational Awards to students for academic excellence at the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College, while Rotary Foundation Scholarships have been awarded to young adults wishing to study at universities overseas.

Throughout the years there have been contributions to the programmes of LUSAVE, the Dunnotar School, the Arthritis and Lupus Association and the School for the deaf.

The Victoria Hospital has received Mammography X-ray equipment. Artificial limbs and wheelchairs have been donated en masse to disabled persons island wide. In our own fight against the spread of polio, polio vaccines have been administered island wide.

An annual “Doctors in Action programme has been instituted whereby a Rotary Health Clinic is provided free of charge to various disenfranchised communities island wide. Through this project, trained Physicians contribute their expertise towards the overall enhancement of health in St. Lucia.

The donation of the Mobile Blood Bank to the Ministry of Health has made a huge difference to the services of the Blood collection unit in St. Lucia, as members of this unit can now visit otherwise remote and or inaccessible areas to receive blood from potential donors.

The Salvation Army’s “Meals on Wheels” programme has become more efficient through the donation of a vehicle to help in the delivery of food items to deserving persons. Donations of groceries and other equipment have been made to the Marion Home, Adelaide and Francis Memorial Home, Malgretoute, St. Lucy’s Home, Corner Stone and the Children’s Home at Ciceron over the years as annual projects.

More recently, Rotary St. Lucia is engaged in the refurbishment and reconstruction of the Maternity wing of the St. Judes Hospital at Vieux Fort. This is being done in collaboration with a Rotary Club from the USA.
In addition to hands on projects that ultimately rebound to the benefit of the community at large, Rotary encourages the long-term development of teens and young adults through the Interact and Rotaract clubs.
These clubs provide a forum where young people meet and from an early age, hone their leadership and organizational skills in a number of areas.

These are among the sterling projects that Rotary St. Lucia has engaged in, all done in the true spirit of Rotary, “Service Above Self.” And as we count down to the actual anniversary date – February 23rd 2005, Rotary has much to be proud of.
We look forward to the next 100 years of Rotary in St. Lucia.