The Sweepstakes begins at 12:01 AM on September 28, 2021. The Sweepstakes will end 11:59 pm on October 26, 2021. Any entries received outside of this time frame will not be eligible. No entries received before or after these dates will be eligible. Winners will be randomly drawn by November 30, 2021.
Now in its fourteenth year serving Caribbean children, Hands Across the Sea employs a network of program officers, called Hands Literacy Links, to mentor and coach school staff to bolster the sustainability of lending libraries at more than 900 schools serving kids ages 3-17, and support reading and literacy across the region. Through their library and community programs, Hands Across the Sea has delivered over half-a-million books and opened a world of opportunity for nearly 167,000 children in the Eastern Caribbean.
If a kid in Dominica today only knew that all it took for his school library to have books was for a couple on a sailboat to land at the shores of the Caribbean. That couple, T.L. and Harriet Linskey, would be the change agent for a program that has touched upwards of 167,000 kids and donated more than half a million books to the Eastern Caribbean islands. The story is quite simple, a couple goes out on a blue water cruise and returns to start a program that ends up changing lives.
Today, Hands Across the Sea is in its 14th year and they continue to garner support for a program that is far-reaching and has no limits in terms of lives touched, “ You won’t know the full impact,“ co-founder Harriet Linskey said,” You’ll never know all the stories of success.” Harriet shares stories of a bank teller, a future astronaut, and of readers and dreamers that all share the same experiences of having their world opened up with books – books that would never have been in their hands had it not been for Hands Across The Sea.
While their numbers are impressive, to date over 900 schools have libraries spread across the windward and leeward islands of the Lesser Antilles. The goal of Hands Across The Sea is evolving into one of making the program sustainable. While their help is good for today’s generations the future of the program is focused on keeping Hands Across the Sea alive and thriving for decades to come.
“Today, a kid from a small fishing village in Dominica has aspirations that come from the exposure to books that just were not available a few years ago, “ Harriet continued, “We will continue to support the creation of lending libraries and improving teacher resources because we see that literacy is improving because of the program.”
Getting Involved
- Enter the Hands Across The Seas Sweepstakes – When you donate to the ASA/Hands Across the Sea Caribbean Getaway Sweepstakes, you could win a week-long bareboat charter in the Caribbean courtesy of Horizon Yacht Charters, St. Vincent, or you could win a luxurious seven-night stay for six (three rooms) at The Verandah Resort & Spa in Antigua or the St. James’s Club, Morgan Bay, St. Lucia, courtesy of Elite Island Resorts. The Sweepstakes will begin at 12:01 AM on September 28, 2021. The Sweepstakes will end 11:59 pm on October 26, 2021. Any entries received outside of this time frame will not be eligible. No entries received before or after these dates will be eligible. Winners will be randomly drawn by November 30, 2021.
https://americansailing.com/partners/hands-across-the-sea/sweepstakes/ - Make a Donation – The easiest way to get involved is by donating via their website. See their guide to giving to get an idea of how the money helps on the islands. https://handsacrossthesea.org/
- Volunteer – A small number of volunteer opportunities are available, and some projects need help in the islands themselves. If you are willing to spend some time helping out while cruising the islands, Hands Across The Sea can put you in contact with someone who needs your help. Visit HandsAcrossTheSea.org for more inforamtion on volunteering
For more information or to donate visit handsacrossthesea.org.
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Awesome cause. C’mon people, pony up !