As has been their practice for several years, in commemoration of the birthday of Nigel O. Hodge, his parents, Chester and Josephine Hodge, wish to do something special for the children of the territory. This year they will make visits to three preschool centers on St. Thomas on Friday, Feb. 18.
Mrs. Hodge will be reading books for the children at the Heavenly Preschool, the Building Blocks of Love and the Paradise Preschool and will leave a donation of 10 new books for each center. Each child at the centers will receive a little gift bag as a part of the celebration. “This year we decided to join the efforts of The Family Connection, the Community Foundation’s early childhood initiative, to ensure excellence in the early experiences of all Virgin Islands children. We know that reading is the key to success and want to encourage the love of reading in our youngest citizens” said the fund donor.
Nigel, a sixth grader, had come home from school complaining of a lump under his arm. Two weeks later doctors diagnosed him with Hodgkin’s disease. Just 38 days after his first symptoms appeared, Nigel died. Determined Nigel’s death would not be in vain, the Hodge family created the Nigel O. Hodge Foundation Fund at the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands (CFVI). Since its establishment in 1996, the Nigel Hodge Fund has provided information, support, and financial assistance to children afflicted with cancer and other critical illnesses in the Virgin Islands and the Caribbean.
Donations to the Nigel O. Hodge Fund will provide additional resources to help give financial support to these critically ill children for medical treatment as well as transportation for treatment not available in the USVI.
For information about the Nigel O. Hodge Foundation Fund or about CFVI’s more than 90 named funds, please call CFVI at 774-6031.