Take a minute to look back at your memories of holiday seasons in the past. They are usually filled with happiness, warmth and love, delicious cookie recipes made only at this time of year and boxes wrapped in beautiful wrapping paper encasing a special gift.
Now think about local, Costa Rican families during the holiday season. The small wooden structures that we pass on a daily basis may be filled with children who do not receive even one present on Christmas morning. Forget about the presents, they may not even have food on the table to fill up their stomachs. Arbol de Angel, a Christmas Charity, wants to help these families.
Arbol de Angel’s vision is to reach out to children and families in Guanacaste, Costa Rica living in poverty, its hope not only to enhance their quality of life during the holiday season by providing food, clothing, household necessities, and toys, but additionally to aid in providing them with the tools, materials, and contacts to support them throughout the year in their continued education and outreach programs.
Caralee Burton, the founder of Arbol de Angel, experienced intense feelings of gratitude upon arriving to Costa Rica and her then new found favorite book, “The Quilt maker’s Gift” led her to search for a way to give back to the community during her first Christmas here in 2009. When she couldn’t find the usual “Sub 4 Santa” or a similar organizations which is so convenient and common in the United States, coupled with the fact that giving away just toys would be grossly understating the needs of the impoverished families living amongst us, her family decided to take the project on themselves. With the extremely generous donations from family and friends back home, they were able to raise over $3,000 to provide food, clothes, and toys for families in need. In 2010, the project doubled in size and the joy they experienced from the project inspired them to make it official.
In order to raise more money for Arbol de Angel, Burton decided to organize a Black & White Party held every year on Black Friday. This year’s event will be held on Friday, November 29 th at The Club at Mar Vista in Flamingo and begin at 6:00 PM. This is an adults only event. Please dress your best in black and/or white. The cost is $30 per person in advance and $35 per person at the door. This price includes one welcome drink, appetizers and dessert (cash bar).
Tickets are available at: La Paz Community School, Country Day School, Educarte, Blue Water Properties in Tamarindo, Matos Surf Shop in Tamarindo and Nimbu Day Spa in Huacas. There will be a silent auction with items from EK Jewelry, Azul Profundo, MiniSuper Apparel, Froggies, Neptuno, E. Souvenir, Kindle Fire, JW Marriot, Blue Water Properties, Rip Jack Inn, Cala Luna, Angelina’s, Oasis, Perla’s, Azul, The Beach House, Tubla, Flamingo Beach Resort, Sailing Costa Rica, Point Break Surf, Surfari, Pura Aventura, Marlin del Rey, Loving Costa Rica, Colores del Pacifico, Zumba Classes, Jungle Gym, Nimbu, Web Consultation and Custom Cakes.
This is a party you do not want to miss!
Arbol de Angel’s goal for the 2013 Holiday Season are:
- 2013 Christmas Goals – $12,000 (The names and needs of families and children provided by CEPIA.)
- Food packages for 50 children and their families (this year food will be purchased at a great discount from the Food Bank of Costa Rica) – $4,000
- Uniforms/Shoes for 50 children – $2,500
- Miscellaneous Household Necessities (mattresses, baby goods, wheelchairs, fridge, stove, etc.) – $2,000
- Clothing – $1,500
- Toys – $1,500
- Sub for Santa (Gifts in Town centers for underprivileged kids on Christmas Eve) – $500
Arbol de Angel has teamed up with CEPIA (http://www.cepiacostarica.
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