Coronado Social Association donates food hampers

December 22, 2007. The San Carlos district covers a number of neighborhoods located all around the town of San Carlos. Each year for the last 4 years a local woman, Maribel Gonzales, who is the representative of the San Carlos District, has been hosting a Christmas party for needy families in the district who have a disabled child or adult living at home.  When the Coronado Social Association, who was looking for a worthwhile cause to support as a Christmas Project, met Mirabel, it was a match meant to happen.  The club saw the opportunity to provide these families with a substantial basket of food, which would last longer than a day and provide for not only the disabled child, but would help the entire family as well.

The club’s goal was to raise enough funds to provide 50 food hampers, plus a gift of pajamas for needy, disabled, children living at home.  As time drew nearer, fund raising efforts increased.  Anna Liebig donated a hand made quilt that was raffled off at the December Games Night and earned almost $300.  

The Mahjong Club donated $350 to the fundraising effort. Every player in the group donates $1 each time they play, so the money from October, November and half of December went to the basket project.  During the rest of the year, their donations support the school uniform project.

Kathie Bishop chaired the project and she put out a call for donations that was generously answered.  She organized the shopping and assembling of hampers. Rene and John Schafer donated a bag full of Teddy Bears, so that each child could have a toy while the family received a large hamper of food.  The smile on each child’s face was priceless!

On Saturday, the families and their children arrived from outlying areas to gather at a San Carlos community hall for a Christmas party. They received Happy Meals and presents provided by other benefactors and lined up to receive the hamper of food that would feed the family for days beyond the event.

This event was a perfect example of the generosity of the expat community making a direct impact on the lives of our Panamanian neighbors!