Saving Robinson Crusoe's island
- By Jack McKeown
- Published in the Courier : 26.07.10
- Published online : 31.07.10 @ 12.58pm
(Page 2 of 2)
Tsunami
In 1966 the government of Chile renamed Más a Tierra, which has a population of 650, Robinson Crusoe Island.
Earlier this year an earthquake hit Chile, creating a tsunami that swept across the South Pacific and slammed into the tiny island, where it destroyed many buildings, including the school, which the Gabriela Mistral Foundation is trying to raise $500,000 to rebuild.
MEP Struan Stevenson hopes people living near Selkirk's home town will make a contribution to the rebuilding effort.
"Jon Benjamin, the British Ambassador to Chile, recently agreed to a suggestion by the mayor of Isla Robinson Crusoe to become patron of the project to rebuild the school," he said.
"Apart from the Alexander Selkirk and Largo connection, he was hugely attracted to the project because, he says, it has good people behind it, it has a defined, achievable and affordable plan, and, most of all, because it will make a huge real difference to real people currently in great difficulty — particularly to a group of children eager to resume their interrupted education.
The ambassador made contact with Largo area community council, which has now set up an appeal.
The community council chairman Peter Aitken said, "We hope to involve both Lundin Mill and Kirkton of Largo primary schools in the project to rebuild the school on the island.
"At a public meeting I asked the audience to imagine the situation if this disaster had befallen Largo how grateful we as a community would be to have the support of the islanders of Robinson Crusoe Island, in the rebuilding of our community.
"With this picture in our minds I would ask the community to support the appeal in any way they can. It is hoped that a number of local groups will hold fund-raising projects, Lundie Theatre Group have already pledged their support and will donate the proceeds of their recent raffle to the project."
To find out more or to donate to the rebuilding project, visit www.colegioinsularrobisoncrusoe.com. Donations can also be made to the Largo Twinning Association and can be placed in the collecting boxes in Premier Stores, Lundin Links and Lower Largo and Upper Largo Post Office or sent to Largo Area Community Council, 55 Largo Road, Lundin Links, KY8 6DH.
Photo used under Creative Commons licence courtesy of Flickr user Nick Bramhall.
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