Port Loyola kids get gifts from Santa Claus

Almost two hundred children from the Port Loyola community received a surprise treat today when they were invited to the Port Loyola Health Center this afternoon. The kids were given lunch and received gifts from Santa Clause. According to the Nurse Coordinator, Rachel Richard Sanchez, it was a last minute idea but they managed to raise a portion of the funds and with support from the business community, today’s event was a success.

Rachel Richards Sanchez, Nurse Coordinator, Port Loyola Health Center

“We, as a team, the Port Loyola Management and Staff had decided to do a little special give away moment for the children, the under privileged, the homeless and the elderly and so we decided to start off by providing a meal, an apple, a drink with a little gift for about a hundred and seventy-six people.”

Delahnie Bain

“So how did you manage to collect all of this? Fundraising? Donations?”

Rachel Richards Sanchez

Rachel Richards Sanchez

“Well, we—it was late planning so we tried our best to make the event possible as we thought about the kids and some of them being very under privileged. We started by doing a yard sale; an announced yard sale. We had staff members bringing items together for the community and we did good. We also asked the business community and we got help from—we’re very grateful to have received help from Bradley’s Imports, Simon Quan, we had 88 Shopping Center, we had Southside Butane, we had Bowen and Bowen, Wellworth and lastly our main office, which is Central Health Region. They provided us with some help which made it possible for us to make this event possible.”

Delahnie Bain

“So you mentioned that you wanted to do something for the kids, the homeless, the elderly; will you be having any other events following this?”

Rachel Richards Sanchez

“We definitely will. Next year we hope to make it bigger and better with more proper planning; not so late planning. We’ll definitely make it bigger and better and cater for a wider range of the population in Port Loyola.”

Most of the invited children were either clients of the clinic or related to clients of the Port Loyola Health Center.