Palm Beach — A heartwarming and congenial event was recently hosted by The Salamander Group at Caribbean Queen, Palm Beach Plaza Mall.
The evening was emceed by managing director Jodi Tobman, at the helm of the company and the driving force behind Tikkun Olam, named after an ancient Hebrew philosophical belief that the repair of the world, Tikkun Olam, is possible by means of charity.
The Salamander Group’s Tikkun Olam program was first launched in the fall of 2007, when Tobman announced the ongoing fundraising initiative, with regular donations presented to select not-for-profit foundations on the island.
“The Tikkun Olam program is very dear to my heart,” Tobman explained to her guests gathered at the store, “and it has been embraced by all company employees wholeheartedly. We greatly enjoy the annual donation ceremony as we see that the fruits of our labor bring joy to a community of volunteers who work passionately on behalf of the island’s social causes.”
“We are honored to honor you,” she added as she addressed the foundation representatives gathered at Caribbean Queen to receive donation checks from key Salamander staffers.
As she received a donation check, dancer Wilma Kuiperi, representing the Aruba International Arts Foundation and the Aruba International Dance Foundation, reported that her organization is working hard to create a children’s art museum on the island and that she recently shared the plan with CaribNet, the Caribbean Arts Presenters Organization.
Artist Elvis Lopez, representing Ateliers ’89, reported on the activities of his local art school and the recent availability of dance classes in San Nicolas, taking kids off the street and changing lives with teacher Alydia Wever.
Dilma Arends, representing the Autism Foundation, talked about the progress made at a meeting by the ministers of health, social affairs, and education, getting together to form a National Committee for the first time in order to pool resources and make autism a better-understood phenomenon.
Hotelier Astrid Muller and attorney Nancy Gravenstijn, representing Hende Muher den Dificultad, reported on the progress made on the island for the past 19 years in eradicating domestic violence. Thanking The Salamander Group for supporting a cause which is often taboo and held secret, Muller went on to explain that November was awareness month, used to raise funds to sustain the Hende Muher den Dificultad family shelter.
Volunteer Aleida Hector, representing Art Rules Aruba and The Pancake Gallery, a foundation offering a two-week intensive workshop program in the summer months, reported on the mission of the foundation to train, cultivate, empower, and inspire young people and offer them a platform for arts education.
Rona Coster, who is the God Mother of the Clown Doctors Foundation, described the clowns’ mission to visit ailing children in the hospital and infirmed elderly in the government nursing homes, providing solace and companionship.
Bojoura Richard received the check on behalf of the Koningin Wilhelmina Kanker Fonds (Queen Wilhelmina Cancer Foundation) and reported on the work done to provide support and information regarding prevention and treatment of more that 100 types of cancer, since 1961.
As all checks were handed out, Tobman announced that Bon Nochi Drumi Dushi, a foundation encouraging reading at an early age, will be added to the list of recipients next year. She was pleased that the gathering took a moment to acknowledge The Salamander Group’s act of giving love by making donations with money collected by 42 sales associates who together try to make the world a better place, every day.
Absent from the ceremony were the following donation recipients: The Aruba Alzheimer Foundation, The Edmund Harm Foundation, Club Kibrahacha 60+, and Telephone Pa Huventud.
Tobman concluded the presentation by urging her guests to network and exchange information and ideas, and pledged the commitment of her company to Tikkun Olam in 2015, also incorporating The Juggling Fish stores at Plaza Linda in the program. “The need in our community is great,” she reiterated, “and we would like to do our share, hoping the rest of the island’s business community follows.”
The donations made by The Salamander Group, in collaboration with its clients, were made possible thanks to the dedicated staff who helped direct a percentage of clients’ purchases to their favorite local foundation. The Tikkun Olam menu is available at the stores, and clients can study it to choose their favorite charity.
The Salamander Group owns and operates Caribbean Queen, The Juggling Fish, T.H. Palm & Company, The Coconut Trading Company, Caribbean Clothing Company, and The Lazy Lizard, fun stores located in the hotel areas and in town.
