Gunston Hall Sailors Refurbish School for the Deaf in Ghana

SEKONDI, Ghana (NNS) -- Sailors from USS Gunston Hall (LSD 44) and Africa Partnership Station (APS) West volunteered for a community outreach project March 14-16 at the Sekondi School for the Deaf during the ship's port visit to Ghana.

Sailors replaced window screens and painted the building's exterior, and landscaped some of the grounds.

"This is a small example of what we're about," said Gunston Hall Sailor, Personnel Specialist 1st Class (SCW) Dwight Forrester, from Virginia Beach, Va. "I'm glad to be a part of this."

Helping out at the school was one way Hospital Corpsman 1st Class (SW) Darren Maxwell, from Staten Island, N.Y., could give back to something that he said was very personal to him.

"My son is hearing impaired," he said. "Some day he's going to see or read about what we're doing here and I want him to know that his dad was a part of it. I want him to be proud of his dad."

Sekondi School for the Deaf was built in 1971 and currently has 217 students, aged 4–20.

Head Master Osei-Bonsu Komioh was excited to have the Gunston Hall/APS Team helping out.

"We are very grateful," he said. "This is a tremendous help."

Gunston Hall is on a scheduled deployment in the 6th Fleet Area of Responsibility in support of APS West, an international initiative developed by Naval Forces Europe and Naval Forces Africa that aims to improve maritime safety and security in West and Central Africa.

For more news from Africa Partnership Station, visit http://www.navy.mil/local/aps/.