“Parents Participating, Children Engaging, Empowering Families” at Inspiration Centre

The Inspiration Centre held its fifth annual family fun day today at its headquarters off the George Price Highway in Belize City. Catering to just over one hundred persons annually, the objective was to bring together the community, including parents and persons living with diverse abilities for a day of fun-filled activities. News Five’s Duane Moody stopped in and files this report.

Duane Moody, Reporting

The Inspiration Centre’s Family Fun Day began as early as eight-thirty this morning with parents and children from across the country converging at its headquarters in Belize City for a full day of activities, including watermelon eating contest for adults, water games and sports. Special invited guests this time around were two children who recently represented Belize in Russia, as a youth journalist and a youth football ambassador.

Christopher Young

Christopher Young, Youth Journalist

“There is the water station to the back of me and there are two sports centres—one with football and basketball and another behind us. I think it was important for me to be here today as an inspiration to the kids.”

Joseph Waight, Youth Football Ambassador

“It’s about making these special needs children happy; giving them things to do, playing.”

Duane Moody

“There is a sports center where they are learning all kinds of things. Are you showing them about the skills of football?”

Joseph Waight

Joseph Waight

“Yes sir. I am just teaching them how to pass the ball, how to dribble a ball the correct way and how to shoot a ball the correct way.”

It’s the fifth year that the fun day has been organized and this year it is being held under the theme, “Parents Participating, Children Engaging, Empowering Families.” Executive Director Joycelyn Lopez says that the event is part of the Inspiration Centre’s inclusive development framework.

Joycelyn Lopez

Joycelyn Lopez, Executive Director, Inspiration Center

“This is all a part of inclusive development; social interaction is good for everybody. It is healthy and it is enjoyable. That is why every year we set aside a day for our children to come out and have fun with us.”

Duane Moody

“Does it break that stigma that people have about persons that seek these types of services that the Inspiration Center offers?”

Joycelyn Lopez

“Yes it does because we invite our clients and we allow them to bring a sibling and we invite other children as well. So it is inclusive; everybody can interact with each other.”

Duane Moody for News Five.