Friends of the Handicapped, is a volunteer organization made up of tourists, visitors, wintering on the island at Casa Del Mar, Aruba Beach Club, Costa Linda and Playa Linda, each year. While on the island they conduct grass-root fundraising activities culminating with a Sweethearts’ Ball, in honor of Valentine’s Day, at the Radisson Aruba Resort Casino & Spa.
This year the Sweethearts’ Valentine’s Dinner & Dance takes place on February 13th, in the Grand Caribbean Ballroom and tickets are available by calling foundation president Art Stark at Tel.: 567 4102.
The elegant fund raising event will include a cocktail hour and a three-course dinner, dancing and surprises, and will be attended by members of the local community and visitors.
Stark is happy to report that FOH concluded its Winter 2008 fund raising season with over Awg 85,000 in donations, which as seen in our pictures was handed out to the island’s not for profit organizations.
To date, says Stark, his group of dedicated repeat visitors collected much more than one million florins and donated the funds to local associations and organizations, dedicated to the welfare of Aruba’s mentally and physically handicapped.
Among recipients of generous checks Mi Por, an organization of mothers with handicapped infants; Foster Home Imeldahof; the Edmund Harms Hospice Foundation; the hearing-impaired Funari school & FEPO; Fundacion Respeta Mi which guards against child abuse; Ambiente Nobo, sister Philothea’s home for the handicapped; Ambiente Feliz & AVA, catering to special-need kids; Centro Kibrahacha for the elderly; Bibito Pin, a school for children with disabilities; Fundacion Cas Marie, dedicated to those suffering from dementia; the Clown Doctors who visit the elderly and also kids in the hospital’s children’s ward; the Red Cross dedicated to disaster first response and crisis management; and Fundacion Pa Nos Muchana whose name indicates care for children.
While times might be tough, says Stark, it is even tougher for those dependent on public funding and the needy become needier, in times of economic downturn. Funds collected by FOH will be put to vital use, he remarks, paying for transport, renovations, educational materials, kitchen equipment, wheel chairs and conferences, promoting understanding and acceptance of handicapped members of our society.
