Carnival group holds toy drive

One of Belize’s carnival groups will be entertaining Belize’s children not with their usual carnival costumes but with Santa and his elves over the next two weekends. GEM members will be distributing toys and refreshments to over a thousand children in five Belizean communities. This weekend the band will be in Santa Marta Village on the Hummingbird Highway and Gales Point Manatee and St. Martin de Porres in Belize City. Next week they will go to Copperbank and Chunox Village in Corozal. GEM member Kathy Christie told News Five about the drive and how Belizeans can help.

Kathy Christie, GEM Member

“Every year for the last four years, the GEM Carnival Band has been organizing a Christmas toy drive and really it’s our way of putting something back to our community. This year we had our most successful Carnival yet. It’s our way of giving back to the community and just to give the kids an early Christmas present.

Tonight all the carnival crew will be gathered at 5752 Lizaraga Avenue and you’ll notice it because it has a huge amount of Christmas lights outside. So anytime after seven tonight if people want to bring along refreshments, we have got thousands of toys. Things we need are cupcakes, candies, cookies, potato chips that kind of thing. If you want to bring those along we will welcome you with open arms.”

The toys for the children were donated by businesses in Miami through the efforts of Teddy Gonzales of Sea and Air Incorporated. Local businesses such as Grace Kennedy Belize and Brodies have also contributed refreshments.