Coral Coast, Fiji, 29 October 2013 – The Bilo Bar Club of Shangri-La’s Fijian Resort & Spa recently opened its latest project, the new Cuvu Kindergarten, in a dedication ceremony held at the school grounds.
Built at a cost of just under FJ$ 100,000 the new kindergarten building is now located within the Cuvu District School compound. The kindergarten consists of a main classroom, a teachers’ room, 2 toilets, a bathroom and an outside veranda. The building is dedicated to the memory of Mr. Ronnie Jones – a long time Bilo Bar Club member who bequeathed the funds.
Cuvu is one among the nearby villages where many of the Resort’s employees reside. The Resort has a long history of encouraging support for the livelihood and education programs of these communities, through the Bilo Bar Club.
Named after a popular bar in the Resort, The Bilo Bar Club was founded in 1981 by regular guests of Shangri-La’s Fijian Resort & Spa. While initially formed as a social club, a Trust was established by the members in 1988 to provide support for the local community. Since then the club has initiated a number of key projects, including four kindergartens in the immediate vicinity of the Resort which operate under the auspices of the club. With support from more than 3,000 members worldwide, the club is administered by a Board of Trustees which include the Grand Bilo (who traditionally is the Resort’s present General Manager) and the Chairman of Trustees known as the Imperial Bilo.
This week, more than 100 members of the club gathered at the Resort to attend the 32nd Reunion celebrating the founding of the club. “It is absolutely fabulous that these wonderful people return year after year because of their love of Fiji and its people,” said Michael Monks, General Manager of Shangri-La’s Fijian Resort & Spa. “We know that the children who attend one of the four kindergartens run by the Club perform better in higher education, than those that have not. The future is in the hands of our children, and there is no better way to prepare them for this responsibility than to start their lifelong journey in one of our kindergartens”.
Hong Kong-based Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts currently owns and/or manages more than 80 hotels under the Shangri-La brand with a room inventory of over 34,000. Shangri‑La hotels are five-star deluxe properties featuring extensive luxury facilities and services. Shangri-La hotels are located in Australia, Canada, mainland China, Fiji, France, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Maldives, Philippines, Singapore, Sultanate of Oman, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. The group has a substantial development pipeline with upcoming projects in mainland China, India, Mongolia, Philippines, Qatar, Sri Lanka and the United Kingdom. For more information and reservations, please contact a travel professional or access the website at www.shangri-la.com.
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