Citizens Gomez and Provence donate more than 20 pairs of shoes to Sister Borgia Primary School

GREAT BAY--Longtime community contributors Cesar Gomez and Mayra Provence have donated more than 20 pairs of brand-name Nike and New Balance shoes to Sister Borgia Primary School as part of their continued effort to support families and children at the start of the new school year.

The shoes were purchased with their own funds and were donated specifically for children who could make the greatest use of the assistance as families prepare for another academic year. The contribution reflects what Gomez and Provence say has always been at the heart of their community involvement, helping where there is a need and doing so in a practical way that can make a direct difference in the lives of people.

For many families, the beginning of a new school year brings additional expenses, including uniforms, books, supplies and footwear. Gomez and Provence chose to focus on shoes, recognizing that a good pair of school shoes is a basic necessity that can also help a child begin the academic year feeling prepared and confident.

Both Gomez and Provence have been active in the community for several years, quietly supporting a range of initiatives aimed at giving back. Their previous efforts have included food drives, school-related drives and other forms of direct assistance to individuals and families.

Their community work has largely been carried out through personal initiative and with their own resources, often identifying areas where assistance is needed and responding where they are able.

The donation to Sister Borgia Primary School continues that approach, with the school serving as a direct link between the contribution and the children for whom the shoes will have the greatest impact.

“We believe that giving back does not always have to start with something big. Sometimes it is simply about recognizing a need and doing what you can to help. We know that preparing children for a new school year can place additional pressure on families, and we wanted to make sure that these shoes reached children who could really use them. Every child deserves to start the school year feeling prepared, comfortable and encouraged.”

Gomez and Provence also expressed appreciation to Sister Borgia Primary School for helping to ensure that the shoes are distributed appropriately. Their efforts come as they explore ways to formalize their community activities, with the goal of expanding the reach of their initiatives and being able to assist more people across St. Maarten.

Formalizing their work could provide a stronger structure for future food drives, school-support initiatives, community assistance projects and partnerships with individuals and businesses that share the same commitment to giving back. For Gomez and Provence, however, the focus remains on service and responding to real needs in the community.

The donation of more than 20 pairs of Nike and New Balance shoes represents another step in a community effort they hope will continue to grow, while keeping its purpose simple: helping people, supporting children and contributing wherever they can make a difference.

𝘗𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘭𝘦𝘧𝘵: 𝘊𝘦𝘴𝘢𝘳 𝘎𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘻, 𝘔𝘢𝘺𝘳𝘢 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘭 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘳/𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘱𝘢𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘚𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘉𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘪𝘢 𝘌𝘭𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘚𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘭 𝘌𝘥𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘳𝘢 𝘑𝘢𝘤𝘰𝘣𝘴.

‍