Unicomer Volunteers for Sister Cecilia Elders
There were many reasons to celebrate this week. Aside from celebrating women on the occasion of International Women’s Day, the folks at Courts Belize reached out to the elderly population. Courts partnered with HelpAge Belize and adopted each member of the Sister Cecilia Home. The guests brought joy to the residents of the home by providing them gifts and plenty love. News Five’s Duane Moody reports.
Duane Moody, Reporting
The forty plus residents at the Sister Cecilia Home for the Elderly had a treat courtesy of Unicomer Belize. This is part of a regional Volunteering Week organized by the company within the thirty-four countries that they operate in the Caribbean and Central American regions. Elderly persons have often times been neglected and their welfare threatened. But the Unicomer staff is saying they will not be forgotten and adopted every resident at the home.
Keith Slater
Keith Slater, Managing Director, Unicomer (Belize) Limited
“We are sort of getting involved in their daily activities; they have lots of things going on during the week. We’ve done some exercises and every member of staff has adopted one of the people there. So we have now made contact and this will be something that will be ongoing and not just a one-shot deal.”
Grisel Carballo
Grisel Carballo, PR Officer, Unicomer (Belize) Limited
“This year, in collaboration with the Unicomer Volunteer Week, we decided to partner up with HelpAge throughout the country. We wanted to shift gears to a different organization. We have worked with several throughout the year and this year we are working with our senior citizens so across the country, each branch of HelpAge along with their respective Tropigas Store or Courts Store, employees are doing the exact same thing. An hour of adopting a grandmother or grandfather, giving back time, bringing them a little gift, a little token and getting to know who they are; building a meet and greet and then we come back and partner up and actually keep in touch with them. What they are doing, what they like, where they live; stuff like that.”
According to Chair of the Sister Cecilia Home for the Elderly, Bernard Adolphus, who stood in for the Executive Director of HelpAge, initiatives like these provide an insight into the plight of the vulnerable population.
Bernard Adolphus
Bernard Adolphus, Chair, Sister Cecilia Home for the Elderly
“We have to set the pace because after all is said and done, you and I will get there—or I am getting there—so if we can provide now for later, right then the door is open for all of us to be comfortable; that’s the main thing…to be comfortable and to live your last days with friends around you. What I would like to see as a result of this, other businesses—I know it is difficult—but other businesses might be able to come aboard and do something because we depend on other businesses too.”
The initiative will also see HelpAge facilities across the country get a facelift; on Sunday, the staff over at Unicomer will be painting all the homes under the HelpAge umbrella. In the case of the Belize City headquarters on Wilson Street, they were gifted with some much needed kitchen appliances.
Grisel Carballo
“Because the house, HelpAge here in Belize City specifically, we couldn’t paint the home. But what they had asked is that their priorities are more of getting their kitchen fixed and appliances that can be found of course at Courts and Tropigas Stores across the country. We are giving them a new set of stove, a refrigerator, also a washer and a drier. So these appliances will be for the HelpAge home helping all these elders that come.”
Duane Moody for News Five.
