Christmas in July: Donating a playground to Boca del Rio Park

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San Pedro Christmas Collection The 2023/2024 fundraising and donation campaign ended with a major donation – a new playground for Boca del Rio Park. The dedication ceremony took place on Tuesday, July 23, 2024.

Wisdom Playgrounds, based in Navassa, North Carolina, played a major role in providing the playground for free. Several organizations collaborated to bring the playground to the island, including the San Pedro Town Council, which successfully petitioned the central government to waive all import taxes. Representatives from Wisdom Playgrounds were on hand to oversee the proper installation of the playground by a local contractor.

Additional safety features are scheduled to be installed this week, and the playground is expected to be open to children this weekend. This achievement is made possible by the tireless efforts of the San Pedro Christmas Collection Group, local donors, volunteers and patrons who support the program.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the San Pedro Christmas Charity Foundation began providing food and toys for Christmas to children on the island. Last year, they expanded their charity efforts to ask elementary schools on the island for their wish lists. Thanks to a generous donation from Smart Playground, they were able to fulfill those wishes.

The playground is just one of many donations

Throughout the year, the organization delivers items many times to meet school requests, much to the delight of students and staff. Below is a complete list of items provided for the 2023/2024 San Pedro Christmas Collection:

February 27: steam (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math) kits for Island Academy and Ambergris Caye Elementary School (ACES).
February 27 and 29: Band equipment for Holy Cross School and Isla Bonita Elementary School.
June 6: Laptops provided to San Pedro RC School and New Horizon SDA School.
Currently under construction: Commercial playground at Boca del Rio Park.
July 23: All five island kindergartens are equipped with playground balls.
July 23: Donate $3,000 to Include Me 2, San Pedro’s new special needs physical therapy program.

The success of this year’s event highlights the spirit and generosity of the community, ensuring that the children of San Pedro have the resources and recreational facilities they need for a brighter future.