Digicel Foundation puts some fun in the season

As hundreds of smiling faces peered through bus windows, the large field gradually filled with children who filed in and were greeted by Elmo and Dora the Explorer.

These celebrities, along with the sweet scent of popcorn and other goodies, signalled the Digicel Foundation's hosting yesterday of a children's treat for the third consecutive year.

The Digicel Foundation partnered with the Child Development Agency and other corporate sponsors to host the grand fun day, labelled 'Digicel Adventure Island', on Lady Musgrave Road in St Andrew.

According to Trisha Thompson, Digicel's corporate relations manager, the event catered to more than 1,200 of the nation's children, 1,000 of whom were from state-run children's homes across Jamaica. The remaining were the children of Coronation Market vendors.

"Giving back is what we do," Thompson insisted, while explaining that many of the children who were participating do not leave their homes other than to go to school.

The children excitedly disembarked the buses and set out to indulge in a day filled with activities under the supervision of Digicel workers and other volunteers.

'Auntie Fae' (Fae Ellington), who also volunteered her time to the event, welcomed and reminded the children to be on their best behaviour, while encouraging them to recycle.

Go green

Digicel, in promoting the go-green campaign, set up various colour-coded receptacles for the children to separate their garbage and plastic bottles and dispose of them accordingly.

One of the children taking part in the treat, Tadiki Campbell, scratched his head when asked what he was going to do with his fun time.

"Mi nuh know but mi a go play an' ride wid mi fren dem," he told The Gleaner before running off, laughing.

And play they did. Children up to 17 years old were seen flocking the merry-go-round, a train ride and a mechanical bull, which were just a few of the exciting offerings.

Bearing in mind that 'tis the season to be jolly, Santa Claus also made a special appearance.

Santa, bombarded with questions from children, explained that he flew in on his sleigh to the airport but an elf drove him to the fun day from there.

As the curtains came down on another treat, each child was presented with educational gift bags from Digicel and other sponsors.