HRCU Hands Over Fifty Schoolbags to Queen Square Anglican
October is recognized annually as the month of credit unions across the country and the region; the financial institutions have been carrying out various activities to celebrate its achievements. Today, the Holy Redeemer Credit Union, one of the biggest institutions in the country, made a donation to some lucky students of the Queen Square Anglican Primary School in Belize City. Duane Moody was there and has this story.
Duane Moody, Reporting
This morning at the Queen Square Anglican Primary School in Belize City, fifty students chosen from all grade level were the recipients of brightly colored green school bags courtesy of the Holy Redeemer Credit Union. The donation was made by members of the financial institution in celebration of credit union month, which is celebrated annually in October.
Clement Usher
Clement Usher, Financial Controller, HRCU
“October is the month for credit unions and so we are just wrapping up the month for Holy Redeemer by coming here to hand out some school bags to the children. We had Doctor Babb make the arrangements for us and we wanted to be a part of…the theme for credit union is “People Helping People” so we figured this is a good opportunity for us to live up to that theme.”
Approximately six hundred and forty students are currently enrolled at the primary school located at the corner of Armadillo and Fairweather Streets in the south side of Belize City. And while the schoolbags were only issued to fifty students, it was much needed says Principal Mirna Smith.
Mirna Smith
Mirna Smith, Principal, Queen Square Anglican Primary School
“Selecting the children was an easy task because the population is comprised with quite a lot of children who are in need. So it was an easy task to identify students who could have used, know would make good use of the school bags.”
Duane Moody
“They were chosen from just one class?”
Mirna Smith
“They were chosen from across the board—from infant one to standard six.”
Duane Moody
“Now, have you found that there are students that come to school without school bags and the basic needs?”
Mirna Smith
“Yes, we do have, they come with their books in their hands sometimes. So this is definitely a great help for them.”
Fred Smith
The donation is just one of the many community based activities that Holy Redeemer Credit Union undertakes annually. This year alone, the financial institution provided over three hundred thousand dollars in grants and scholarships.
Fred Smith, President, Board of Directors, HRCU
“We were at Saint Catherine’s about a month ago. We had the Henry Usher grant which is an annual thing and this year, we gave out over three hundred thousand dollars in grant. The best easy was from a child in St. Joseph and we went there to deliver a top of the line laptop. So we were saying we haven’t come to an Anglican school; let us get to an Anglican school as quickly as possible. And through Miss Babb, who was one time the ‘jefedor’ here, she made the arrangements and we came. This will not be the first; this will not be the last.”
Credit Member of HRCU, Doctor Carol Babb, also took the opportunity to encourage the students, teachers and parents to join the credit union.
Carol Babb
Dr. Carol Babb, Member, Credit Committee, HRCU
“Holy Redeemer is the largest credit union in the entire country of Belize. I want to encourage students, teachers and the general public to become a member-owner of a credit union; there are many benefits. As Mister Smith mentioned, every year Holy Redeemer gives scholarship grants, a school grant to assist students in paying their tuition, book bags and other things that they may need. And we gave over three hundred thousand this year, so Holy Redeemer is actually paying it forward, giving it back to the community.”
Duane Moody for News Five.
