Jungle Bay Provides Full Scholarship to Miss Dominica Contestant

Jungle Bay Resort and Spa is providing full scholarship Shannon Connor St. Hillaire to the National Queen Pageant in Dominica. Hillaire, from Soufriere, who is contestant Number 7, got the approval of Jungle Bay’s owner Sam Raphael by articulating her ambition to environmental safety. She plans to study environmental law in the university if she eventually wins the 2020 Miss Dominica Pageant event.

“We never sponsored any contestants before…” Raphael said. “She is interested in promoting the environment which is consistent with Jungle Bay’s philosophy.”

The hotel owner said Ms. St. Hilaire was able to reach him some weeks ago for a sponsorship request, “and you have to be very good to get to me,” he explained. While interviewing the young lady on why she wanted the hotel’s sponsorship, he said he was impressed with Hillaire’s articulation and passion for the environment, “she really knows how to push my button”. He said the lady convinced him that she would be a good ambassador for not only Jungle Bay, but also Dominica as a country.

“And I said ‘Shannon why do you want to do this?’” Raphael said. “She responded, ‘Because I want to get a scholarship to go to Law School to study Environmental Law.’”

The famous hotel owner said there was no way he could have said no to the lady considering her passion for the environment and motivation for a successful life career. He encouraged other businesses and organizations in Dominica to rise up and sponsor the other contestants to the pageant, saying it will yeild “tremendous marketing benefits and I think that Shannon was able to convince me of that too.”

Ms. St. Hilaire thanked Jungle Bay for their support, promising never to let them down in next year’s Miss Dominica Pageant. The organizers for the event thanked the hotel management for sponsoring the contestant – the first time the resort would ever do this – and expressed hopes that other businesses in the private sector would do the same.

“I anticipate that others from the private sector will form part of the progression of our young adults by coming on board to support one of our lovely contestants and by extension our unique Dominican product, Mas Domnik,” said Festivals and Events Manager Marva Williams.

The Mas Domnik 2020 will hold from January 18 to February 26 with the theme “Play the Rhythm, Play the Mas”. The Miss Dominica Pageant will hold on February 20 at the forecourt of Windsor Park Sports Stadium.

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