Salvation Army feeds city kids
No Christmas in Belize would be complete without our seasonal visit to the Salvation Army’s big event. Today, as in years past, it seemed that every child in the city was crammed into the Holy Redeemer Parish Hall. Jacqueline Woods reports.
Jacqueline Woods, Reporting
It may have been cold, wet, and windy but these children did not mind standing in line for their treats. No matter how many times our cameras have captured this scene, the one thing that keeps on growing is the number of children who benefit from the annual Salvation Army’s Christmas luncheon.
Alberto Young, Advisory Board Member, Salvation Army
“Well at this function we have over fourteen hundred children. We’re hosting over fourteen hundred, and we have the Salvation Army School and we have the other-the villages and so on-we have additional children there-so you could say close to eighteen hundred children this year from Salvation Army. For the past three years it has increased from six hundred to now what it is today. We are trying our best to try and managed that because we don’t want to lose anyone and we don’t want to lose the effectiveness of the function itself, so it’s something that we will allow to grow, but we have to see how we manage it.”
Ozzie Junior the clown, kept the children entertained so did the children of Grace Primary School Steel Band.
Alberto Young
“We target the needy children in the community. We look at schools, they are given tickets or members go out and seek the children that we host today.”
Following the traditional rice and beans and turkey dinner, the children were each given a Christmas gift. Jacqueline Woods for News 5.
Special guest at the Christmas luncheon was Governor General Sir Colville Young. In addition to today’s children’s party, the Salvation Army will host other kids to Christmas dinner and toys on Sunday at the church’s three main sites on Cemetery Road, Castle Street, and in Georgeville. The annual food hampers will also be distributed to needy families on that day. While the annual Christmas kettle appeal will continue until Christmas Eve, Regional Commander of the Salvation Army, Captain James Garth, and the rest of his officers would like to thank the business community and other individuals who have contributed to making this year’s Christmas activities possible.
