By K. NANCOO-RUSSELL

Freeport News Reporter

Committed to fostering unity and empowerment wit-hin communities across the island, the Grand Bahama Community Builders Club (GBCGC) last week sponsored four lucky students to participate in a two-week self-improvement program in Georgia.

Dominique Storr, Elijah Stevens, Kadijah Rolle and Eleason Williams all took part in the Cordele Youth Sum-mer Institute program which began on July 15. They will return on July 27.

GBCBC President Patter-son Williams explained that they learned about the annual program from the Club's parent organization ICB Productions which is located in Florida, and decided to participate for the first time this year. Williams said the program is centred around building confidence and self-discipline in participants.

"One of the things that they are doing that we're certainly pleased with is their focus on character building. That's one of the areas that seems to be lacking with the kids, so that's one of the things that motivated us to be partners with them," he said.

Williams was one of the three adult chaperones to accompany the students, along with Eleanor Williams, the Club's director of children, and Kenneth Williams, a GBCBC member.

"The students participated in skits, role-playing about conflict resolution, attended classes in developing leadership skills, in adjusting attitudes and behaviours," he said.

"In the evenings, they attended classes in drama, drumming, music, and other areas."

Williams said after observing the activities he believed the time the children would have spent there would have contributed to some change in their outlooks and behaviours.

The Club intends to participate again next year, he said, and hopes to send an even larger group.

Another benefit of attending the program, he said, was that the Club was able to link up with other community-building organizations and was able to form a partnership with one group in particular from Cordele Georgia, which is now its sister Club.

During a special ceremony, the two groups lit a candle to signify the merger and pledged to remain committed to engendering a partnership.

"The significance is that the Grand Bahama Community Builders Club is an inclusive community-building club so we're not just focusing here, we're also international. We're not just limited to The Bahamas so wherever we can partner with people of like minds and like spirits, building community and establishing that foundation especially for kids, we are open to doing that," he said.

The Grand Bahama Com-munity Builders' Club was formed in 1997 and began by assisting Bahamians who were attending the Florida International University (FIU) and who were falling short financially. The club worked in conjunction with the office of multicultural services and programs at FIU.

Since then, the Club has been a part of ongoing projects in the community, hosting seminars on many diverse issues such as conflict resolution, marriage and family, and building sustainable communities after disaster. The club also partners with the Margaret McDonald Centre of Nassau for seminars and conferences.

The club's goal is to unify and build communities socially, economically and spiritually by demonstrating values such as caring, sharing, loving mentoring, inclusion and empowerment from within.