“Every child should get a chance to get to know her or his island better.” Huub Bongers once said. Huub noticed that many children never made trips to parts of the island outside their immediate living surroundings,---some children had never even seen the sea!

He therefore, with a number of other Rotarians of the Rotary Club of Curacao, started the Rotary Bus Project on December 18, 1974.

The idea was to every two weeks bring children of the basic schools to a nice destination of their choice.

As of then every two weeks a bus of the ABC Busbedrijf brought children of a class of a basic school to a beautiful beach, a monument, a fort, industry, museum or some other attraction or destination of their choice.

Funds were and are collected during the weekly Rotary lunch, when raffle tickets are sold. (An initiative of Rudy Dovale)

The complete proceeds go to the Rotary Bus Project.

The Rotary Bus Project has in the meantime become a tradition, begun in 1974, the Rotary Bus has brought more than 26,000 children to all sorts of destinations.

Last Wednesday, May 2nd, the 800th bus with 53 children left from the M.C.Piar School. The children first visited the Tula Museum and after a nice lunch the Tumba Museum. It was a wonderful day and the children, wearing 800th Bus T-shirts, enjoyed themselves superbly.

The ABC Busbedrijf has placed their busses at our disposal all these years!

Photo’s:

* Mr. Huub Bongers during the 200rd bustrip. Ref.: book Rotary Club of Curacao, 50 years of service.

* Children of the M.C.Piarschool

* Members of the Rotary Club of Curacao with the 800th bus.