LEGACY House is living up to its name, providing a welcoming home for Girl Guides and their leaders while supporting the continued growth of the Guiding movement throughout The Bahamas.

The property was completed thanks to two generous donations by the Sandals Foundation. An initial gift of $100,000 assisted with the completion of the building’s interior. A second donation of $27,000 was used to furnish the entire third floor, known as the Granger Lodge, which can accommodate up to 18 girls and five leaders.

Elma Garraway,  chair of the Properties Committee and head of the Management team of Legacy House, shared that the facility is already fulfilling its purpose. Rangers and Guides from Grand Bahama, Abaco, Eleuthera, Harbour Island, Exuma and New Providence have stayed at Legacy House on several occasions. The property has also hosted a weekend residential training programme for leaders, helping to strengthen the Association’s capacity across the islands.

Heidi Clarke of the Sandals Foundation recently paid a visit  to the facility to observe its progress

She was delighted that the facility was in active use and commended the  Association for the high standard at which Legacy House is being maintained. She also encouraged the group to use the Sandals Foundation’s online application process to submit another grant proposal that could further advance the work of the Association.

For more than a century, the Bahamas Girl Guides Association has helped to shape generations of Bahamian girls and young women. Its programmes—Sunflowers, Brownies, Guides and Rangers—promote leadership, service, teamwork, positive values and responsible citizenship.

Through Legacy House, the Association now has an important space where girls and leaders from throughout the archipelago can gather, learn, build friendships and participate in the full residential experience of Guiding.

The support of the Sandals Foundation has therefore extended well beyond the completion and furnishing of a building. It has helped to create a national home for Guiding—one where young women can develop their confidence, strengthen their leadership skills and prepare to make positive contributions to their communities and country.