Bodden Town’s big back-to-school bash

By Christopher Tobutt

“I’m very appreciative and thankful and grateful. I really appreciate Mr. Dwayne,” said Ms. McLean, one of the moms who had just got two sets of back –to-school goodies for each of her kids at MP Dwayne Seymour’s fun day and back-back-to-school bash. In the office more than three hundred brand new school bags, full of exactly all he things each child needed for their new school term – were resting outside the room where the dedicated lady volunteers were packing them. Each bag had a child’s name on it. Outside the parents were lining up to get their bags from Mr. Seymour and all his helpers from Bodden Town East.

But it wasn’t only school bags. The back-to-school fun day had all kinds of fabulous and fun things going on. There was a “splash me,” place, where kids lined up to throw yellow balls at a target. If they hit it spot-on, someone would get splashed! Then there was a bouncy castle, and the kids were loving it. But there were big fire engines from the Cayman Islands Fire Service there too, big and red and gleaming. And some police from the RCIPS were helping out too.

There were Sno-cones and cotton candy, and hot dogs – with lots of sauce. Because this was for the kids, and the parents too, and everyone was feeling a bit special at Evron Plaza. “My kids are here and they really love it,” said one daddy whose life had just been made a bit easier by the back-to-school fun day. It was MP Dwayne Seymour who orchestrated it, with the help of all his Bodden Town East team. It isn’t the first thing he’s done like this. He regularly puts on many different events for the People of Bodden Town East, including seniors’ nights and on-the-beach Christmas parties. “We try to assist in this small way,” he said. “This is done because it is necessary. It is something I feel passionate about and something for the children to look forward to, and let them and their parents know there is someone in the community caring for them,” he said.

“We contacted the schools to find out what was on their list of requirements for the students, from Clifton Hunter and Theoline McCoy Primary School. “There are lots of volunteers who work so hard to make all of this happen but I specially want to mention Ana and Vashti who have played an integral part in getting these school supplies out to the kids,” he said. “Nobody is going to be left out, and if a child comes here and their name is not on the list for some reason, it is my pledge that they will get a bag, too. We are doing whatever we can to make it happen.  These have been difficult times with the pandemic, and many people are out of jobs. “