Giving Christmas More Meaning to Children

by Tomsak Criador '06f
 

Los Banos kids with UP Los Banos Beta Sigma residents Jhun Barit'08d, Lance Alamar '05c,

Garet Sumagang'03e, Tomsak Criador '06f, Jose Gloria'10c & Fred Sambrano'10d

Greetings Brods!

We recently concluded Operation Big Brother last December 18, with Brod Paolo Hernandez '08d as activity chairman for OBB. As always, we never fail to to share the Christmas spirit and put smiles on the faces of the children in Los Baņos. Marking its 37th year, the Operation Big Brother was celebrated in the traditional spirit and was held at Maquiling School, Incorporated. The brods came early for preparations and awaited the arrival of the eager children along with their guardians or parents. As each family from the different barangays came, they were warmly greeted with a light breakfast and were ushered to their respective places. Soon as all 100 children were accounted for, the games finally started.
 

          Kids playing Rabbit-gun-wall with Brod Jose as "kuya"                                            Kids doing our signature pose

                 Kids with Brod Jairus Medel'08d as "kuya"                                               Kids with GP Tomsak before lunch

Kids with Brod Raymond Juan'08e as "kuya" along with Brods Nestor Baguinon and Fred Sambrano

With 10 groups comprised of 10 children and 1 "kuya" each, the kids, as well as the brods, enjoyed some healthy competition in games like rabbit-gun-wall, 3-legged race, sack race, and bring me. After the games, lunch was served at around 1 in the afternoon, and right after was a marvelous magic show, courtesy of the hired professional clowns. The show was more enjoyable because aside from its comedic delivery, it involved the audience, namely the kids. After the magic show, we played one last game of marshmallow madness (and madness it was, indeed!) before the much awaited gift-giving. Though the number of children had a slight increase due to the expected gate-crashers, we were still able to provide gifts to all the children in attendance.

Group picture of residents present with alumni Brods Jojo A., Jojo C., Nick Angel

The awarding of the Big Brother's Bounty Scholarship was also given time in the later part of the program, care of Brod Jojo Criador '81b.

As the day ended, the children were picked up by the hired jeepneys that took them home. And although majority of the brods were fatigued, it was all worth it to see their smiling faces as they bid us farewell. This experience hopefully teaches the brods, especially those brods who became a part of it for the first time, that we all should be thankful for what we are blessed with, and that by sharing what we have, we are able to be of service to the community and the people around us.

With that we would to extend our utmost gratitude to the following who made this activity possible:

Thank you for all your support! Cheers!!

Tomsak Criador '06f
Grand Princep '10-'11

UPLB Beta Sigma Fraternity renders another commendable project of community service