MoBay’s needy children feted to the tune of $200,000
WESTERN BUREAU- More than two hundred needy children, ages two to 15, were catered to this week at the annual Christmas treat put on by the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) and the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) at an estimated cost of over $200,000.
Head of the JTB’s social outreach programme, Margaret Jones, said the four-year-old treat, which was staged at the Cornwall Beach Complex in the city, offered the children hours of endless fun.
“It was two hours of fun, fun, fun… It was a great two hours. (And) it is always something that the cruise ship staff look forward to and indeed, that the JTB staff also look forward to it,” she said.
Added Jones: “We consider it our privilege to serve those who are less fortunate and if we can make a child smile, then I think we have done our great deed for the day.”
The children who attended the treat were drawn from the Salt Spring Basic School, the Riverside Basic School and the Special Education Department at the Catherine Hall Primary School.
“We thought of those children because ever so often, some feel: ‘Lord, what am going to give these children’ and we want people to know that they can enjoy Christmas just like anybody else,” Jones explained.
The day’s offerings included toys ranging from Barbie dolls to video games in addition to educational toys, which was distributed by “Santa”.
There was also face painting, which Jones said was a “real hit” with the children. And the JTB’s ‘Welcome Singers’ performed a number of songs and did some drumming.
In a release from the JTB, Youth Director of the Carnival Conquest, Charlie Peter, said she was happy to serve the children.
“I’m so happy to be able to put something back into this country, especially to these little children. It gives me so much joy to see how excited they get when they receive their gift from Santa,” she said.
The treat–started by the FCCA in Ocho Rios eight years ago–has over the years catered to children including those who were mentally and or physically challenged.
Last year in Montego Bay, they catered to children who lived at children’s homes, including Blossom Gardens and Copse
