Fantasic Response to Community Service Challenge

COMMUNITY SERVICE IS ALIVE AND KICKING!

The Belmopan Community Service Challenge was back in town!  On Saturday, November 11, 2006, young committed people from Belmopan and surrounding villages once again vied for the title of “Community Service Champions”, in this contest judged on readiness to work, efficiency, team spirit and courtesy. 

This time, no less then 150 young people (15 teams of 10) signed up to work.  And work they did, through rain and shine.  Here’s what was accomplished:

• BADCATS (Belize, Adventure, Culture and Technology) Team number 1 assisted the Roaring Creek Village Council in cleaning up and beautifying the Roaring Creek Community Centre.
• TheOur Lady of Guadalupe High Risers (of Our Lady of Guadalupe High School) also traveled to Roaring Creek to clean up public areas in that village.
• The teams of Our Lady of Guadalupe Police Cadets and the United Go-Getters (of United Evergreen Primary School) were dispatched to the Western Regional Hospital where they cleaned all the corridors and windows and visited patients. 
• BADCATS Team number 2 rolled up its sleeves to clean house at HelpAge Belmopan.  The yard also received a face-lift, making the facility once again safe and accessible to the elderly.
• Team Cocktail (a mix of the Roaring Creek Nazarene Youth Group and Belmopan Comprehensive Students) registered very late, but nonetheless went out for a food drive to replenish emergency supplies at the Belmopan Red Cross.
• The Freedom team of Our Lady of Fatima RC School of Roaring Creek tackled the Belmopan Public Library, which was in dire need of an outside paint job.
• The new lot of the Belmopan Cancer Society was cleaned, rocks were removed and trees planted by the Garden City Roses (of the Garden City Primary School).  They finished their job well in time to also allow for a small fund-raiser for King’s Children’s home.
• BADCATS Team number 3 went out to the lot belonging to the Belmopan Humane Society where they undertook a complete landscaping job.
• Marla’s House of Hope benefited from the hard work of the Belmopan Baptist Youth Group, who organized a fundraiser for the Home.
• Garden City Sunshine, another team of students of the Garden City Primary School, hit the town in search of food donations for Marla’s House of Hope.
• The Belmopan Aids Committee received some needed funds, collected by the BADCATS Team number 4.
• The team World Citizens of the Baha'i Faith of Belmopan achieved the gigantic task of cleaning up and painting at the Harriot Topsey Park.
• The Belmopan Comprehensive School Student Council set their teeth in the Parque de Las Americas: cutting grass, painting benches and white-washing trees.
• Last but not least, the 7/11 Busters of the United Evergreen Primary School, had a wide area in the San Martin area to beautify: from the San Martin School to the police sub-station to the stadium.

A team of three judges had the daunting task to select a winning team.  After a long deliberation, the Student Council of the Belmopan Comprehensive School was proclaimed the winner of the November 2006 Challenge.  Their name now proudly joined the Belmopan Lion’s Scouts, Marla’s House of Hope and United Evergreen Primary School on the Challenge Trophy. 

The Challenge was originally scheduled to take place once a year, but upon popular demand by the Challengers themselves, it will now take place in May and November of each year.