 Verne Read, a businessman and financial supporter of Bat Conservation International, took over payments on the mortgage for the school.Ken Murdock, founder of the herbal company Nature's Way, and Rex Maughan, owner of Forever Living Products, together with Cox, his family, and students funded the construction of the school and repaid the loggers for their $20,000 advance.During a tribal ceremony held in February 1989, Cox, along with the village chiefs ("matai") signed "The Falealupo Covenant", which legally protected the forest for 50 years in exchange for their help.