Rotary Club of San Juan has organized it for over 35 years for the organization
Approximately 300 children and youth participating in an integral educational, socio-emotional, and innovative development programs offered by the nonprofit and community-based organization, Boys & Girls Clubs of Puerto Rico (BGCPR), celebrated a Thanksgiving lunch today, on the eve of the official day, at the Sheraton Convention Center hotel in San Juan.
The event is made possible through the sponsorship that Rotary Club of San Juan has organized for the benefit of BGCPR participants for the past 36 years. The activity, which, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, was held remotely for three years and then hybrid, is now back to being celebrated in person at a hotel, providing the experience for more than 300 students from disadvantaged communities to interact with children and youth from the organization’s 18 service centers.
The event was hosted by BGCPR’s Youth of the Year, Jeshua González, and the Youth of the Year from the Aguas Buenas Club, Sofía Flores. The stage was filled with talent, featuring musical performances by dance groups of children and youth from BGCPR service centers in Mayagüez, Llorens Torres, and Aguas Buenas. Joy and enthusiasm spread with the participation of the clown Muñequita Rosita, children’s singer Alejandro El Capitán, and, as a grand finale, the Pleneros de la Cresta captivated the audience with their Christmas interpretations.
Among the special guests, the president of Rotary Club of San Juan, Delia Colorado, shared an inspiring message with the hundreds of attendees at the event. Meanwhile, Olga Ramos Carrasquillo, president of Boys & Girls Clubs of Puerto Rico, expressed that “after three years of celebrating the event remotely and then hybrid, today we return in person from the Sheraton hotel so that our participants – of whom 9 out of 10 live below federal poverty levels – enjoy the experience that the Rotary Club of San Juan has been gifting to our children and youth for thirty-six years. This reaffirms the legacy of tradition and festive spirit of the organization with the communities we serve. Today is a very special day because seeing them happy and enjoying themselves awakens emotions that reaffirm our commitment to a better Puerto Rico.”
The event highlights the ongoing commitment of the community and the collaboration between Rotary Club of San Juan and Boys & Girls Clubs of Puerto Rico to make a positive difference in the lives of children and youth in disadvantaged communities. The Thanksgiving celebration not only provides a memorable feast but also reinforces a sense of community and hope.