December 8-9, 2007 was a weekend to remember. It featured a dive weekend, a Christmas party and an outreach program for the San Teodoro Elementary School in the Anilao area.
The dive / Christmas party was planned a month before. First a plan to do a COT clean-up was thought off but that later evolved to an outreach program. With only 2 weeks to go before the event, Diveshoppe scrambled to solicit donations for the 160+ children at the school. Bags, snacks, rice, school supplies, slippers, etc. filled the loot bags to be distributed. A big plus came from Westmont – medicines (vitamins, antibiotics, etc.) were donated. This was complemented by three doctors (2 of which dive and is a part of the Diveshoppe family) and another doctor-friend.
With 3 doctors on hand, the children were given a physical examination with proper medicines/vitamins given to complement the diagnosis. Thank goodness that everyone was healthy. Not all the medicine was prescribed, especially the antibiotics – these are to be given to the local health center to be dispensed to those that need it.
Doc Orly interviewing a child before the physical…
The Diveshoppe family was also treated to a small program entailing dance numbers from the children. In between giving the children their loot bags, games were conducted for the entertainment of the children, parents and teachers.
Cookoo (host of the program) hands a loot bag to one of the girls while others prepare more…
Some of the kids showing off their bags…
The event really brought home the message of Christmas. The items given may not account for much in terms of cost … but it definitely brought smiles to the children, appreciation from the parents and teachers alike.
Some of the children, parents and techers around the stage watching the program…
Christmas is definitely just around the corner …
hey, can you upload hi-res photos of the outreach on your multiply so I can download?
i hope you don’t mind.:) also, you can grab mine if there is anything there that you like. you have one in a funny face during the party..hahaha..
163 kids.
you made them happy too. thank you for your gift to them.
Happy Christmas Albert!
Nice short write up Alberto…..Merry Christmas buddy!! wish you all the best next year….and hopefully more dives in even more exotic places. Outreach made me feel sooo good …thanks to all of you it was a great success!!