Salvation Army and Helpage hold Christmas parties

‘Tis the season for sharing and today the Salvation Army displayed that spirit when they invited seven hundred underprivileged children from schools all across Belize City to their annual Christmas lunch. It was a feat and a feast since this year they did not get the support they had anticipated. But as Regional Commander, Major Errol Robateau told us, there was support from the private sector and City Hall.

Major Errol Robateau, Regional Cmdr., Salvation Army
“Most of it came in time through Bravo Motors and the Rotary Club who does the barrels in the stores. We are using some toys that we had from last year to make up. We are getting in slowly still but we really haven’t gotten as much as we got last year but we will have enough to cover today but we are still in need.”

Marion Ali
“You also had a project, you wanted to extend it to some of the rural areas and some of the people who were affected by the flood. Will that materialise?”

Major Errol Robateau
“Well, it depends on the public .This is finishing today. So once we finish this today we will be concentrating in the rural areas. What we are asking is that the public support us in food stuff and more toys so that we can cover some of the areas. We are thinking mainly Crooked Tree, and there’s and are on the southern Highway which are new areas we want to go in addition to the areas we had been before.”

Marion Ali
“Do you have a projected deadline?”

Major Errol Robateau
“Well, the deadline is actually next weekend which will be around the twentieth. We finish on the twenty-third, so after the twenty-third that’s it.”

Zenaida Moya, Mayor, Belize City
“Just to know that they are happy, even if it’s for just a few days out of the year that they are just the focus of attention, the centre of attention, makes us feel good about ourselves. Every year we assist, mainly with the toys, sometimes with the food, with the setting up in terms of the coordination. There are different areas that we assist as a Council.”

The Salvation Army welcomes non-perishable grocery items and toys to its headquarters and branches around Belize City.

But it wasn’t only the underprivileged children of Belize City who were pampered today. Helpage Belize also held a party for the residents and other members living outside and there were some changes to the yearly event. This year, Helpage teamed up with the National Institute of Culture and History, NICH and to add spice to the event, the residents were feted in open air facing the waters of the Caribbean Sea at the House of Culture. And today was especially good for Janet Smith. While she is not a resident of Helpage, her membership with the institution offers a medium through which she can relive many good memories with persons from her generation – and the party could not have happened on a better day than today, her sixty-fourth birthday.

Marion Ali
“Did you enjoy the party?”

Janet Smith, Member, Helpage Belize
“Yes, all the time, all the time. I never outta dis party. I always enjoy it. Dehn never leave me out no time cause dehn know seh I like to dance. I enjoy myself and I looking out for it and I want somewhere to go. I enjoy it. Dehn never leave me out.”

Marion Ali
“You have a lotta friends at the Helpage?”

Janet Smith
“Yes, since ah join it dehn get friendly with me.”