christmas gifts for children that really deserve it in Cozumel 2014

[Dive Choice Mexico]

Dear diver(s) and Cozumel lovers,

About 8 years ago we have started with a great idea for Christmas and it has been a GREAT success as well!
Thanks to you!
We are collecting Christmas gifts for children that really deserve it.

It is always a blast to see the smiles on the faces of the children every year and with your help we have collected over 500 gifts last year!
This year we already have collected some gifts again and we are getting there, but I want to ask you if you have a little bit of spare space in your suitcase, please buy a small gift for a child who really will appreciate it here in Cozumel.
If you do not have extra space in your bag, you can of course also buy something right here on the island!

Where ever you stay on the island, you can participate!
Write us a mail:
info@divechoicemexico.com or a private message on this board and we can meet somewhere on the island or we can pick it up at your hotel.

We have collected lots of gifts from the dive community and this forum in the past already!
Many many many thanks for that!

Let's put a smile on a child's face together!!


Cheers Karen Bloemhoff


Have a look at these videos from the past:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EH6QW42u1dI

or

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsg3aXi3HRI

 

[sharky60]

Karen,

very cool! I will repost this on the CozumelRadio.net FB page.

also stuck it on the Cozumel4U FB page

 

[Mossman]

We are collecting Christmas gifts for children that really deserve it.

Interesting. Who decides what kids are deserving and what criteria do you use?

You better watch out, You better not cry, Better not pout, I'm telling you why: Santa Claus is coming to town. He's making a list, And checking it twice; Gonna find out Who's naughty and nice. Santa Claus is coming to town.

He sees you when you're sleeping. He knows when you're awake. He knows if you've been bad or good, So be good for goodness sake! Oh, you better watch out! You better not cry. Better not pout, I'm telling you why: Santa Claus is coming to town. Santa Claus is coming to town!

 

[Queen Triggerfish]

I did this last year because I was vacationing before Christmas. I bought some toys at home and brought them down (I still wonder how weird I looked in the Target toy aisles lifting all the toys to assess their weight!). Karen came to my hotel to pick them up. I LOVED seeing the pictures after the fact, and think I spotted a couple of my toys in the hands of smiling kids. Made me feel good. :xmas_2:

 

[Dive Choice Mexico]

Interesting. Who decides what kids are deserving and what criteria do you use?

You better watch out, You better not cry, Better not pout, I'm telling you why: Santa Claus is coming to town. He's making a list, And checking it twice; Gonna find out Who's naughty and nice. Santa Claus is coming to town.

He sees you when you're sleeping. He knows when you're awake. He knows if you've been bad or good, So be good for goodness sake! Oh, you better watch out! You better not cry. Better not pout, I'm telling you why: Santa Claus is coming to town. Santa Claus is coming to town!

Good question!

The surroundings of the area were we go speak for itself, you just need to look around.
It a poor part of Cozumel in the back of the airport called las fincas.

It is very simple what we do:

Every child gets 1 gift and when we are out of gifts we go home.
We have done it for many years now on December 25th and we know lots of the kids and parents.

We try to film/take pictures of the kids with their smiles after they get the gifts, not so much the surroundings as that is not important that day.
I will happy to send you some pictures where you can see more of the surroundings or even show it to you when you are in Cozumel.
Just send me a mail.

Take a look at the videos on Youtube and it shows a bit that it really is needed at that area.

After all these years I still get emotional when a mother comes up to me telling me that it has been a hard year and they could really not get gifts for Christmas for their kids this year and thanks me with tears in her eyes.

 

[fred3798]

Do you accept cash for your folks to buy gifts?

 

[Mossman]

The surroundings of the area were we go speak for itself, you just need to look around.
It a poor part of Cozumel in the back of the airport called las fincas.

It is very simple what we do:

I see, so these poor kids are "deserving" because they don't have toys. They have food, water, shelter, clothing, just no toys.

I would think that the 20-lb food packs provided by programs like Programs like Food Pak and Rethink Mercy from Children's Hunger Fund to starving kids might make a whole lot more difference in the lives of the impoverished than Christmas toys, but that's just my opinion.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Perhaps if the OP used the words "in need" vs "deserved" you'd have taken a slightly different tone, Mossman?

---------- Post added November 17th, 2014 at 06:54 AM ----------

By the way, did you read the info within the link you posted?

 

[cvchief]

By the way, did you read the info within the link you posted?

Zing. Nice one, Chilly!

 

[Centexbear]

Good question!

The surroundings of the area were we go speak for itself, you just need to look around.
It a poor part of Cozumel in the back of the airport called las fincas.

It is very simple what we do:

Every child gets 1 gift and when we are out of gifts we go home.
We have done it for many years now on December 25th and we know lots of the kids and parents.

We try to film/take pictures of the kids with their smiles after they get the gifts, not so much the surroundings as that is not important that day.
I will happy to send you some pictures where you can see more of the surroundings or even show it to you when you are in Cozumel.
Just send me a mail.

Take a look at the videos on Youtube and it shows a bit that it really is needed at that area.

After all these years I still get emotional when a mother comes up to me telling me that it has been a hard year and they could really not get gifts for Christmas for their kids this year and thanks me with tears in her eyes.

Karen,

Bless you, you are an angel! Merry Christmas!