Sox Bloggers and Rotary Club give love to the needy

I REMEMBER that the first community outreach I organized was when I was the president of the student council in high school. We collected used clothing from the students and we gave them to a depressed community in the outskirts of the town. It started with my article in our publication entitled, How about the needy? Do they celebrate Christmas? Donations started pouring in and we were able to share them to the less fortunate ones. It was the first time that I felt the joy of giving.

Since then, I never stopped participating in activities that help the underserved communities. To me, giving is loving.

Yesterday, the SoCCSKSarGen Bloggers, together with the Rotary Club of Polomolok, visited two communities and made them feel the spirit of Christmas.

Rotary Club of Polomolok President Xavier Bayan led the distribution of gifts.

Bayanihan spirit

The Rotary Club of Polomolok gave 37 bags of goods for the families in Sitio Palakasam. They call it Shoe Box Full of Love and they have been doing it for 6 years now in different far flung areas. The Rotary Club coordinated with the GKK (Gagmayng Kristohanong Katilingban), a local group of Catholics there, and they determined the families that really need help and the bag of goods that each family received was proportional to the number of household members.

After which, we proceeded to Purok 8, Barangay Kinilis, for the Medical-Dental Mission. Despite the glitches in our trip, we were able to make it to the community. Our driver, Rotary Club President Elect Rey Trasporto, managed to hurdle the very rough road to Kinilis with a two-wheel drive pickup.

Stuck in the middle of the road

Dr. Grace Salazar examined over 70 individuals in Kinilis.

Drs. Melanie Deypalan and Celema Ines-Griño were in charge of the dental checkup and distribution of medicines and vitamins.

The SoCCSKSarGen Bloggers pitched in used clothing and school supplies, which were given to the families in the area. When Sox Bloggers first visited Kinilis mid-November, we fell in love with the community and we promised to return. And we did, this time, with gifts put together by the bloggers.

The community was also very gracious that they provided us with a humble lunch and served us the world famous civet coffee, which is being produced by the locals there.

Congratulations to Ate Sheng and Kuya Kyaw, Ate Rosilie and Kuya Arnel, Ate Lynette, Nanardz, and Rabsky for successfully delivering the goods to the community!

Happy bloggers. Cheerful givers.

Partnership. Bloggers and Rotarians unite for a good cause. RC President Xavier Bayan (in red shirt) said he is arranging a MOA between the two groups.

We went home with our hearts so full of joy and more determined to do it more often. Merry Christmas to everyone!

*Photos are by Kyawster and Lynette Galinero