Christmas parties for young and old
For some reason today was that day for Christmas parties for both young and old. News Five was overwhelmed by the numerous invitations to cover all the events which included the Salvation Army’s annual dinner for children, the Adventist Kitchen’s dinner, Continental Airline’s children’s party and even the Police Department’s party for the officers’ children. While we would like to have shared the Christmas spirit with them all, realistically we just couldn’t do it, especially with Janelle Chanona on vacation. But we were able to stop by the Holy Redeemer Parish Hall to see how the older folks were enjoying themselves at the Mercy Clinic and Kitchen annual Christmas bash.
The senior citizens did not only enjoy their Christmas dinner but also spent the time sharing memories of the good ole days.
Rose Vaughan, Fifty-Nine Years Old
“I spend it good because we all meet together with friends and with love, and we remember the birth of Christ.”
Q: “How you spend your Christmas?”
Joseph Haylock, Sixty-Seven Years Old
“Well I take it very cool. I don’t drink and I don’t smoke.”
Q: “What advice do you have for the younger folks out there?”
Joseph Haylock
“Don’t get drunk and do anything wrong because doing wrong things will cause you problems.”
For sometime now, the Mercy Clinic and Kitchen have been hosting the Christmas dinner for senior citizens from Belize City and the districts.
Lela Usher, Volunteer, Mercy Clinic
“Today as always, as I must say that, I am mistress of ceremonies for this function which I think has been going on for the last couple of years. I don’t know how long but I know it’s ongoing.”
Q: “Why has the Mercy Clinic decided to hold these annual dinners?”
Lela Usher
“First of all it’s a treat; they look forward to something especially at Christmas. It’s a long range planning from the beginning of the year until December, so we can have the food and the gifts that go along with a party.”
Q: “I heard in the past that Mercy Clinic would have their event and then Mercy Kitchen would have theirs but this year you decided to come together. Why did you do this?”
Lela Usher
“This year the two organizations amalgamated. I believe the simpler part was simply about staff. This year we have new management on both sides and they decided to amalgamate them because a lot of the people go to kitchen and clinic.”
Q: “How many people will you all be feeding today?”
Lela Usher
“Today we will be feeding six hundred people. Some may not be here but they will get their meals and they will get their gifts too. There are six hundred bags already packed that will be downstairs to be handed to them as they leave.”
Most of the guests we spoke with said they are looking forward to Christmas Day and hope the younger folks would take heed of some good advice.
Bernice Cain, Eighty-Two Years Old
“The young people must keep themselves with the Lord because times are getting hard. The young people are getting crazy; they kill up one another.”
George Taibo, Seventy-Two Years Old
“We used to spend it very good among friends. Everybody just enjoy themselves and nobody fights, no obscene language.”
The Holy Redeemer Parish was not the only place full to capacity. On the other side of town at the Bishop Sylvestre Memorial Centre, the Salvation Army hosted six hundred children at their annual party. On hand to give the children their toys was His Excellency Sir Colville Young, the Governor General of Belize. Just a few yards up ahead at the House of Culture, another group of children benefited from Continental Airline’s first Toys for Tots. Close to one hundred and fifty needy children from seventeen primary schools in Belize City received food, drinks and surprises from Santa Claus.
