The friendly faces of the children, their eager eyes and the heart-warming greetings that they bring to the Optimist Club of Barbican Pines are what kept the group committed to fulfilling a promise that was made nine years ago, to build a library for the Shortwood Basic School.

"They are always so friendly and so eager to see us when we come by because we take sweets and pencils to them and they remember us giving them things so they are always happy to see us," says Fay Mallitt, founding member and president of the club.

Last Saturday, the Optimist Club, in conjunction with Motor Sales and Service, conducted a raffle draw for a 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer. First-place Johnny Guitar got the car. Second place went to Carlous Francis, who won $50,000, and third place went to Jason Bonner who received $20,000.

All proceeds from the event, which was launched last October, will go towards building a library for the school, which was adopted by the club in 1999.

"When we just formed, we just went into a community that we thought would need our help and we happened to stumble upon Shortwood Basic School and we have been working with them ever since," Mallitt told The Gleaner.

Various donations

The club has made various donations, refurbished the bathroom and supported the school's sports day. Though it took a while before the funds were generated, Mallitt says there was never a moment when they felt like giving up.

"We promised them over the years that we would like to put in a library for them and, being the president, I decided that this year being our 10th year, we will be trying to put this library in, and this is why we launched this major project to get some funds.

"Our main target is 'bringing out the best in children', which is our motto, and I think most of our children today need more and this is our objective," she added, while noting that the project was out to coincide with Child Month.

Not enough funds

Mallitt said although the money collected is not enough, the group would still start the project.

"It's not enough but we have to give thanks for what we have received and we are going straight to starting our project," she said.

Neville Richards, senior sales and marketing consultant at Motor Sales, said the company offered the car to get the fund-raising off to a good start. The company has done this on several occasions and wanted to assist the basic school. "What we do is to support with all their venues, we turn up and exhibit the car for them free of cost."