Grace Passes on the Love to schools

Pass on the love, that’s what the people at Grace are doing. Back in July, Grace Kennedy Belize, organized a four mile fun-run to raise funds for deserving schools and to promote a healthy lifestyle. This morning, the schools were graced with the proceeds from the Grace We Care Club. Delahnie Bain reports.

Delahnie Bain, Reporting

The Grace We Care Club held its first Education Fun Run on July twenty-fourth to promote a healthy lifestyle and raise funds for primary schools. This afternoon, an award ceremony was held at the Grace Kennedy Distribution Center to hand over cheques to the schools.

Trudy Joseph, Vice President, Grace We Care Club

Trudy Joseph

“What we wanted to do was to talk about healthy living, talk about pass on the love as an action word. Not just something that you say. And a lot of times people say what can I do? And imagine just running a race would have allowed for people to pool together and give funds to schools.  We also do practice runs. We have like Karen Rosito, who assists with training, having to do with how you’re supposed to pace yourself and things like that so we learn while we’re doing it.”

Saint Joseph Primary School garnered the most support and won the grand prize of two thousand dollars. In second place, Ebenezer Methodist School was awarded a cheque for a thousand dollars.

Glorisella Torres, Principal, St. Joseph Primary School

“I was excited and happy, knowing that we have so many people out there that we have touched their lives in some way or the other; that they came to Saint Joseph and they still think about us and our school, St. Joseph.”

Marvin Kellyman

Marvin Kellyman, Principal, Ebenezer Methodist School

“I was very surprised because winning a thousand dollars in a time like this doesn’t happen too often. So I was very surprised and impressed by the gesture of Grace Kennedy. So we are grateful at Ebenezer School for this gesture.”

The top schools were determined using a points system.

Trudy Joseph

“We gave donation forms to each staff member of Grace Kennedy and they went out and they decided which school they were running for or raising funds for. Then what we did, for every ten dollars we receive we give one point to the school of their choice and also people got to register. If you’re running for the day you pay ten dollars and then you decide which school you’re running for. You get a point for finishing the race.”

Marvin Kellyman

“I believe it’s a very good initiative. In Belize we don’t take time out to spend a lot of time on health and talk about health so I think it’s a great initiative to make all of us, including the children, become aware of the importance of healthy living and healthy lifestyles. So I think it’s a very good initiative.”

Glorisella Torres

glorisella torres

“I feel that it’s a great program. I wish that other agencies will promote something like this for education. I’m very happy and pleased that we are the winners as well, as number one. And I would like to thank all the members who took part in the run and all past students who have participated.”

As for the race itself, Frederick Gordon, who ran for Wesley Upper School, finished first and won the school five hundred dollars. He shared a message with the youngsters before handing over the cheque to the principal.

frederick gordon

Frederick Gordon, 1^st Place Finisher, Grace Kennedy Education Run

“If your friends see you doing something positive, they more than likely will want to follow you. Be of gracious encouragement and don’t choose to hang around bad crowds. Bad company will lead you nowhere. Keep your mind focus; I know you got a big future ahead of you.”

Rudolph Conorquie, Principal, Wesley Upper School

rudolph conorquie

“We are very active in sports and so this money will come right in hand to help us purchase different sporting equipments and so on to participate in different competitions and do our PE and sports program at school. So once again, Frederick, I believe you had options. I don’t know if you had to select Wesley Upper School but thanks for choosing us because this money will go a long way.”

Delahnie Bain for News Five.

The second place runner was Anthony Leslie, who won an additional two hundred and fifty dollars for Ebenezer Methodist. Saint John’s Anglican Primary School will also collect a hundred and fifty dollars, won by third place runner, Jason Young.