Y.M.C.A. sponsors annual Christmas party for kids

On Thursday evening, the Young Men’s Christian Association held its annual Children’s Christmas Party at its headquarters on Faber’s Road Extension. The party caters to members of Y.M.C.A. and youths within the community of Port Loyola and Collet and allows them to showcase their talents. This year’s festivities, however, also had the participation of parents. Program Coordinator, Shawn Gonzalez, tells us more.

Shawn Gonzalez, Program Coordinator, Y.M.C.A.
“This party is in two segments; it includes a Christmas program, where the children perform various activities and it also includes a dinner for the children. The activities include dancing, a skit of the nativity scene, we will be having singing, recorder playing and as I mention recorder playing I should also mention that we have a music programme which is led by Mr. Jason Guerrero and so the children have been practicing. Since October of this year when we started the programme, they have done three songs. So tonight they will be performing three songs.”

Patrick Faber, Minister of Education
“Kids that this particular centre caters to, it is located in Port Loyola but it is not too far away from the Collet area. So it will serve children not only from Port Loyola but also from Collet. It aims to keep kids off the street.”

Clara Cuellar, Executive Director, Y.M.C.A.
“We have sixty children in our programme that we work with all year and so it’s coming together each Christmases and sharing love. Of course, we have more children because more brothers and sisters come along, but this is not a one time special for strangers to us. We are a family.”

Y.M.C.A. offers after-school programs such as remedial math and English, a reading program, music program and homework assistance.