Belize City Lions Introduces Easter Gift Project
Easter is one of the most important holidays on the Christian calendar as it symbolizes hope for the two billion plus Christians around the world. In Belize, the Lions Club is introducing the Easter Gift Project as part of its International Lions Services for Children Program. Today, at the Resource Center on Princess Margaret Drive, three humanitarian organizations received donations courtesy of the Lions Club. Duane Moody reports.
Duane Moody, Reporting
Today at the Belize City Lion’s Den, next door to the K.H.M.H. on Princess Margaret Drive, three organizations, Liberty Children’s Home, the Young Men’s Christian Association and Dara’s Feeding Program received food items, basic necessities and construction supplies. The over five thousand dollars donation comes courtesy of Belize City Lion’s Club’s Easter Gift Project.
Prakash Chainani
Prakash Chainani, Committee Chairman, Lion’s Club
“It wasn’t easy for the club to select the three organizations represented here this morning: Dara, Liberty, YMCA. You have been spending a lot of time, effort and money in meeting the needs of some less fortunate people in our society, especially the children. The work that you do is certainly in keeping with one of our Lion’s Code of Ethics…which goes like this, “To aid my fellow men by giving my sympathy to those in distress, my aid and my substance to the needy; Lion’s We Serve.”
And the recipients were even more grateful. Liberty is currently home to forty-four children between the ages of five and seventeen.
Agatha Valentine
Agatha Valentine, Director, Liberty Children’s Home
“With limited available resources, it is a challenge to provide three balanced meals for the day to our children. So when I received the call from the Lion’s representative, I was of course overjoyed as I figured then that the monies that will be invested in what is being donated today can go towards something else.”
The YMCA currently caters to seventy-seven school-aged children and provides an after school space for children to go to get tutoring, recreational activities and food.
Clara Cuellar
Clara Cuellar, YMCA Belize
“I stand here with some humility, but yet some pride because I do have a lot of history in the Lion’s Movement here in because as a Leo myself and certainly as friends and family. Btu the YMCA is grateful for this generous gift and partnership that Lion’s is extended to us because the YMCA takes its time to partner with other Belizeans to be able to deliver the service it does. And that is what makes us a success. As we all know, the work that we have to do for our young families and young people in the country is very difficult and challenging at times because it takes a lot to raise children, to raise a family.”
One familiar face was Dara Robinson. His feeding program received the largest donation package from the Lion’s Club.
Dara Robinson
Dara Robinson, Dara’s Feeding Program
“We feed forty-three kids daily from primary schools and it’s kids in need. I di champion that now for eight years with the support of the community and things like this. But when Miss Zayden come and check me….which in the Lion’s Club already mi donate food to me last year. And ih come and sit down with me and say Dara what would you really like and I said that normall I dah food. I champion food. And I sit down and watch up on mi tent. I got wah tent fi couple years now and we put a foundation and the tent, when the water drop, the foundation still get full up with water and the kids get wet. So I tell ahn I would really like to put a permanent top over the feeding program area. And she sit there with me and I must say within less than a month, Mister Prakash came along with her and witnessed how the place get wet. Bam, next thing ih call me and tell me that Dara we approve it and material di come. Right now I feel so good.”
Duane Moody for News Five.
For almost one hundred years, the Lions Club International has been serving its communities, contributing to the development and wellbeing of millions of people around the world.
