Page 9 - AHATA

A16 LOCAL
Friday 1 december 2017

Giving Back to the Community:

Lissa and Kirk, One of Our Costa Linda Beach Resort Canadian

Families Adopted Graf von Zinzendorf School during their Stay

SAN NICOLAS - It was of her favorites is Adopting came together.
Christmas of 2013, when a Puppy or a Dog from the Even though it is just the two
Kirk and Lissa decided they Shelter. of them they realized every
could make a difference Lissa and Kirk thought little bit helps, it’s a feeling
in their community. They about what they could do of great satisfaction.
started off doing small do- to help the community and The day Lissa and Kirk de-
nations for the homeless in the Island they fell in love livered the lunch/school
Edmonton, Alberta Cana- with, and what would have supplies will be a day they
da. They put together care the most impact. After a will remember forever. The
packages and filled them while they decided to help principle Mrs. Edith Geer-
with the everyday essen- Aruba’s future generation man showed them around
tials for men and women. – the school children. Lissa the school and gave them
In 2014, they decided that and Kirk emailed Miriam a little background history
their help could also be put Rodriguez, the Members of the school. The screams
to good use in other areas Manager and Luigi Here- and shrills of the exited
of the community, so they dia, Resort Manager at grade 6’s and their teach-
reached out to the Strath- the Costa Linda Beach er of Graf Von Zinzendorf
cona Christmas Bureau in Resort to see if they could Kleuterschool melted their
Sherwood Park, Alberta put them in contact with a hearts.
Canada. In November school that is most deserv- Such big huge smiles lit up
they go out and buy the es- ing and what types of sup- their faces as the students
sentials for 2 families and in plies were needed. Miriam received the Canadian
December go out and de- was able to put together flag being pinned to their
liver the food hampers and a list for them and then shirts. Their wide eyes filled
Christmas gifts to families in the shopping began. Luigi with such curiosity as they
need. was able to find the most eagerly looked into the
Lissa’s father John intro- deserving school. Months huge suitcase filled with
duced both of them to passed and the shopping supplies. It was all so over-
Aruba in 2014 and they started but they had no whelming and truly gratify-
have been returning every idea what age groups and ing.
October since then. Lissa grades they were buying Lissa and Kirk look forward
belongs to a few Face- for, so they purchased a to coming back next year
book Groups about Aruba, variety of lunch and school to their newly adopted
and every so often top- supplies. Everything they school kids and bringing
ics of volunteering pop up bought as it turns out could a little more sunshine to
like Cleaning the Beaches, be used from kindergarten their lives. Let the shopping
Feed the Donkeys or one to grade 6/7; everything begin.q