Rotary holds annual senior citizens Christmas luncheon…
Today the Rotary Club of Belize held its annual Senior Citizen’s Christmas Luncheon. The Christmas meal has been served to seenagers for the past twelve years and in collaboration with the Mercy Care Centre and Helpage, this morning over two hundred and fifty persons received a meal and gifts. The lunch was held at the Mercy Care Centre and according to Director, Andre O’Brien, it’s a way to share the spirit of the season with the elderly.
Andre O’brien, Director, Mercy Care Centre
“We, the staff and management of Mercy Care Center are very pleased that rotary has always taken this charge up in having this Christmas part every year. This year has been a very challenging year for us in terms of support and funding and without the Rotary’s help, we would not have been able to have this party for our guests this year.”
Maria Price, President Elect, Rotary Club of Belize
“Each year we provide between three hundred to three hundred and thirty plates of lunch depending on how many people we have coming in to avail themselves with that service.”
Duane Moody
“You’re partnering with Mercy Care Center for this event. Can you elaborate on that?”
Maria Price
“Well, actually every year we partner with both Mercy Care and with Helpage. They are the ones who really know who are the senior citizens. We provide transportation to come to the luncheon. Normally would have it at West Landivar, we’ve had it at Old Belize we’ve had it for the past three years so we provide transportation to get up there. Then we have the business committee also try to help us in that avenue. This year, because we’re doing it on a weekday, we don’t have as many Rotarians here. The few who could take time off from work came in. We would normally have interactors here who run the group of Rotary and the Rotaracters. But this year we have the Mercy Care Youth group that came in from Orange Walk who are providing that service as well who wanted to assist.”
Sharon Polack, Executive Director, Helpage
“Today is a really special day because we have brought the Helpage members and the Mercy members together as well as just all the elderly in the city that come here for a beautiful Christmas experience—a meal, the sharing and games and they really have a nice party planned today. Our greatest need for the older persons is loneliness so this alleviates loneliness. It gives them just that spirit of Christmas. We don’t really know what they’re going back to at their homes and some will be going back to wonderful scenarios but a lot won’t and will be alone at Christmas. So this is really their Christmas.”
In related news, the Mercy Care Center was also on the receiving end of some funds. The centre has been gifted with four thousand dollars by Fortis Inc. The monies will be used to provide food and health services to the elderly and underprivileged through the Mercy Kitchen and the St. Joseph Mercy Clinic. The cheque was presented by B.E.L.’s Dawn Sampson on behalf of Fortis to O’Brien.
