IN this the season of giving, service clubs across the island have been taking the time to spread Christmas cheer to their fellow Jamaicans – treating the needy, children and shut-ins.

One service club, the Lions Club of Kingston, on December 14, visited the Walker’s Place of Safety and treated the 45 children at the facility with ice cream, served a warm meal, gave them toys, and sang Christmas carols to them.

The owner of the New Up Town Restaurant, Orret Heart, provided the food for the children free of cost.

“It is vital, especially in today’s society,” said Michelle McIntosh, youth and community chairman for the Lions Club of Kingston.

“The children that are at the Walker’s Place of Safety are placed there temporarily, but we still need to take an interest in them,” she said. She noted that members of her club have actually adopted children from the home.

Also, on a yearly basis, the Lions Club of Kingston, on December 18, hands out baskets of groceries to members of the Society for the Blind, treat them to a brunch and sing carols with them.

Seniors citizens from the Golden Age Retirement Home were treated by the Lions Club of Kingston, on December 21. The day started with a church service at the Boulevard Baptist church, after which they were served a hot meal prepared by members Jamaica Football Federation.

McIntosh said that ex-civil servants, who thoroughly enjoyed the activities for the day, mostly occupy the golden age home.

“They enjoy us assisting them,” she added.

Meanwhile, approximately 40 war veterans at the Curphey Home were recently hosted by the Rotary Club of Mandeville. They were given Christmas dinner, a choice of an alcoholic beverage and cigarettes.

“We spend time with them because to them, we are company,” Marcell Fenton, president of the Rotary Club of Mandeville said.

A Santa Claus bearing gifts visited children who live in the outlining areas of Mandeville. “Some of the children are out there barefoot… they are happy to see the truck with the gifts, they are enthusiastic and they love that,” she said. “They don’t see Christmas all year round like the other people in Mandeville, they experience it once a year. This makes a tremendous difference.”

Nearly 500 people gathered for the annual carol service held at the Hi Lo Plaza in Mandeville, that was put on by the Rotary Club in collaboration with churches in the town.

This year, Fenton said their carol service facilitated nine carols and nine bible readings from a variety of community churches. “It is something that Mandeville looks forward to every year,” Fenton added.

In St Mary, the Kiwanis Club of Port Maria recently visited the Oxford Basic School and treated the children to ice cream, cake and snacks.

The members also visited the children’s ward at the Port Maria Hospital on December 23. They, too, received ice cream, cake and they also watched a video.

“They get excited any time they see a Kiwanis vehicle enter the premises,” said Novara Dennis, distinguished president of the club. But he said the club had to postpone a number of their other projects as a result of the bad weather. “We have been getting good feed-back, the people call us for more,” he said.

On the north coast, the Optimist Club of St Ann’s Bay earlier in the month treated 100 children at Free Hill in Primary School. They had a concert with performances from the students and motivational talks from Kiwanians. They were also given gifts.

“It makes a difference in this season, they get dressed up and come to perform and get a gift,” according to Sonia Anderson, past lieutenant governor for zone nine. “This is when the children can get a little something extra for Christmas.”