Salvation Army opens kettle appeal
Belizeans may be preparing to celebrate Garifuna Settlement Day, but today on Albert Street there was no mistaking the sights and sounds of…you guessed it: Christmas.
Janelle Chanona, Reporting
This morning, the amid the noise and confusion in downtown Belize City, the peal of bells and live Christmas music signalled the start of the Salvation Army’s annual kettle appeal.
With the pots’ proceeds, approximately sixteen hundred Belizean children will be guests of the Salvation Army’s Christmas Program.
Captain James Garth, Regional Commander, Salvation Army
“We are making a goal to reach minimum like twelve thousand. At present we had went to purchase the toys and we had a quotation for just one thousand pieces of toys for eight thousand, two hundred dollars at A and R, which means we need six hundred more. So we feel like twelve thousand probably can take us through all the expense to make a success on our Christmas program this year.”
Salvation Army volunteers will be stationed on Albert Street in front of Brodies and Romac’s, at Save-U Supermarket, on Queen Street near the Angelus Press, on the Brodies Northern Highway compound, at Courts Powerhouse and outside Big Daddy’s in the commercial market. But like many cities, needy cases come a dime dozen. The Salvation Army is counting on their usual sponsors to come through for the children.
Captain James Garth
“I figure that one of the advantages that could be set is that the Salvation Army is doing this for over thirty years here in Belize. SO our Christmas program is well known, and the factability of this is that all the donors have witnessed that this take place. So I feel strongly that we will be highly supported once more again by our yearly donors for our Christmas program.”
Darrell Carter, Deputy Mayor, Belize City
“It is one of those old good things that we need not throw away. If, certainly we can say one thing, the Salvation Army has been that institution that gives, whenever receives funds, gives directly to those who are really in need of it.”
Reporting for News 5, I am Janelle Chanona.
