Underprivileged children receive gifts for Christmas

Tonge, dressed as Santa, poses with some recipients of the gifts
Tonge, dressed as Santa, poses with some recipients of the gifts

Over 300 underprivileged children received gifts just in time for Christmas at an event held at the Peebles Park in Roseau on Sunday.

The Enchanted Christmas event, which cost over $30,000, is expected to be held annually and was hosted by Tourism Minister, Senator Robert Tonge and his wife Dr. Gilda Nesty with assistance from the Destination Dominica Inc, a non-profit organization in the USA.

“This year we are having an event for the Enchanted Christmas and we are giving out over 300 gifts to underprivileged kids,” Tonge said on Sunday. “So what we have done we have spoken to the Principals of the various schools, we asked them to give us names of different people and they provided us with those names and that’s why you see those kids here today. They are great gifts and I am very proud that we were able to get those gifts, all of it are from persons who have assisted generously to make this happen.”

Tonge, who dressed as Santa for the event, said children who could not attend will receive their gifts at a later date.

He said “the ability to give back to others” is very rewarding.

He stated that two years proprietor of Depex Colour Lab, Emile DePooter, assisted in lightings at the Peebles Park during Christmas, but this year is the first time children were presented with gifts.

Tonge also pointed out that $10,000 was donated to the Convent Preparatory School for damages suffered during the passage of Tropical Storm Erika.

He revealed that hopefully for the next cruise season school supplies will also be distributed to children.

See photos below from the event.

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12 Comments

  1. December 13, 2016

    Beautiful pictures!

    It makes me so happy to see an organization doing things like this, and OTHER organizations HELPING them do it, and people ENABLING the organizations to do it :!:

    Christmas is all about loving and giving. “For God so LOVED the world, that he GAVE his only begotten Son, that whosever BELIEVETH in Him should not perish, but HAVE everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

    Thank God for the good people who seize this opportunity to give and the wisdom to direct that giving towards those who are disadvantaged, underprivileged, or needy.

    It is a time when nobody should be neglected, left out, or passed by.

    God bless all you wonderful people.

    Sincerely, Rev. Donald Hill

  2. Deposit
    December 22, 2015

    Tyler Perry??? 8-O

  3. Kissa?
    December 22, 2015

    for a second i thought santa was madea

  4. wicked man
    December 22, 2015

    Why call these children underprivileged? They are our future, our joy and hope. If anyone is underprivileged is the guy in red trying his best to get a sense of worth and appreciation. That sad thing is the kids helped him achieve it.

  5. backstreet coffee
    December 22, 2015

    Madea is that you? papa God, look Madea in Dominica!

    • hmmm
      December 22, 2015

      hahahahaha i thought the same thing lool

    • queenie
      December 22, 2015

      OMG so funny :-D :-D :-D :-D

  6. Floridian diaspora
    December 21, 2015

    This is a good gesture from Father Christmas but we need our supreme leader to step in and turn these underprivileged children into privilege ones by providing jobs for their parents hence not having the need for Father Christmas in future times. As far as I am concerned, the whole country is underprivileged and is desperate for $$$$. We cannot continue to be satisfied with our poverty and depend on end of year consolation activities like this. Thanks for the gifts Father Santa but we need Father Skeritt to look at the bigger picture and detect what’s causing the underprivileged thing is the first place and hand out jobs to us instead of the expired communion unleavened bread he has been feeding us for quite a while now and stop stealing our tithes and offerings

  7. Thorbjørn Jagland
    December 21, 2015

    Que Sah Tonge u come out, never did this before becoming a minister. :lol: :lol:

    • Student
      December 21, 2015

      And that’s ok. Nothing wrong with changing or becoming better.

      • Just Me
        December 22, 2015

        Yeah right!!!!

      • Cpt Joe Sparrow
        December 22, 2015

        changing???? he trying to get into the spot light to run for roseau but tonge, your tongue will come out because we are smart around these parts. DIDNT you see the colour of the political map

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