For the past eleven years, The Belize Bank Limited has held the annual Stella Maris Christmas Party which hosts over 100 students and teachers. This year, the event, like many of the Bank’s various corporate social responsibility activities, was canceled to ensure the safety of the students and teachers during the current coronavirus pandemic. The cancellation was surely disappointing as the students looked forward to this festive event; especially, the special visit from Santa. The staff of the Bank, Santa’s helpers, also shared this sentiment as they looked forward to spending time and having fun with the students.
Today, however, The Belize Bank Limited still managed to spread some Christmas cheer to the 109 special needs students of Stella Maris Primary School, as specially wrapped Christmas gifts were delivered to the school for each student. Principal, Mrs. Karima Oshon received the donations on behalf of the students from Mrs. Denise Godfrey, Senior Marketing Officer of the Belize Bank Limited. Mrs. Oshon expressed her profound gratitude to The Belize Bank Limited for its unwavering support in these challenging times, and further explained that the gifts will be distributed to the parents when they obtain their child’s assessment later this week.
In promoting a healthy lifestyle, The Belize Bank Ltd. not only supports physical but also mental well- being and contributes to the social support granted by the Welcome Resource Center. On Friday, September 18th, Ms. Joyce Ellis from Welcome Resource Center presented Mrs. Denise Godfrey, Senior Marketing Office of the Belize Bank Ltd. with a Corporate Citizen Award. The award was given in appreciation of the Bank’s contributions to the center since May 2014.
The Center was founded on Monday 14th November, 2011 as an initiative of the Mental Health Association (MHA) and lives by its mantra of “Healthy Choices, Healthy People, Healthy Body, Healthy Mind” by providing meals, bathing facilities, clothing, basic job skills training, counseling and therapeutic activities to individuals who are homeless or mentally ill. Additional services include increased awareness and knowledge of mental health issues in Belize, with a focus on the reduction of stigma and discrimination and improved services for persons with mental illness. As an opportunity for participants to earn income, the center provides a stipend to participating individuals who assist with cleaning initiatives and recycling activities.
The bank is honored to receive such recognition as the donation assists 478 registered participants.
Since it’s inception in 2012, the Belize Bank Ltd. has granted scholarship opportunities to over 100 students countrywide. To highlight the aspirations of our scholarship recipients, an Esteemed Scholarship Recipients Album was compiled.
We continue to encourage each recipient, both past and present, to continue to achieve and advance their educational and career goals.
Members of Belize’s uniformed law enforcement agencies will compete for the 5th consecutive year in a special 120-mile relay footrace in the United States. The race begins in Baker, California and ends in Las Vegas, Nevada. Belize earned a first-place finish in 2019, amongst 291 world-class teams.
This year, the Belize Bank Limited is a proud sponsor of “The Belize Protectors”, which comprises of 25 men from the Belize Defence Force, the Belize Police Department and the Belize Coast Guard. The team will wear number 1 and the event will take place on April 4th and 5th.
In our continued effort for youth development in sports, The Belize Bank Ltd. was a proud sponsor of this year’s Table Tennis U15 – U18 Central American Championships. Over 100 players, from 6 countries including Belize, participated in this five day event (February 4th-8th).
Each participant’s speed, agility and concentration skills were put the test.
The Belize Bank Ltd is an avid supporter of education, sports and youth development. Youth development comes in many forms and music is one of them. Music not only boosts self-confidence but also enhances intellectual ability and provides freedom of expression.
In supporting musical opportunities, the Bank made a generous contribution to one of Belize’s prestigious universities -the University of Belize. The university will obtain steel pans so that interested students will have the opportunity to develop their musical talent in playing this well-known Caribbean instrument.
The Belize Bank Ltd. takes pride in contributing to this great initiative and look forward to working along with The University of Belize to see the success of this program.
In an effort to encourage women in sports, The Belize Bank
Ltd. opened its doors to aid in the sponsorship of a senior female softball
team which evolved into Belize Bank Bulldogs Softball Team in 2012.
Team members range in ages from 17 years to 45 years and have displayed great
sportsmanship as they have won The Charles Solis Memorial Tournament in 2013, 2014
and 2016 , and rose in glory in winning the National Female Softball
Championship Tournament in 2014, 2015,2016 and 2019. In 2015 The Belize Bank Bulldogs Softball
team proudly represented the country of Belize at The Central American Female
Club Championship in Managua, Nicaragua where they placed second.
On
December 10th, 2018 The Belize Bank hosted its 10th Annual Christmas party,
bringing joy for over 100 children, with special needs, from Stella Maris Primary
School. This year’s venue was provided compliments of Old Belize. The Belize Bank’s Santa Helpers along with
Ozzy the Clown entertained the children with games and face painting. As a special addition to the day’s
activities, the children enjoyed complimentary train rides through the Old
Belize Museum. The children, teachers
and all other Stella Maris staff members were treated to a traditional Belizean
Christmas lunch. After lunch, the
children were greeted by Santa who presented all the children with gifts
donated by Belize Bank staff members in Belize City.
Through our continued partnership with Hand in Hand Ministries, Ms. Darlene Polonio, a single mother whose home was damaged by hurricane Earl, was presented with the keys to her new home.
This is the 10th family the Bank has assisted with a home, in providing financial support, under Hand in Hand’s “Building for Change” Program. In adhering to social gathering limits ,due to the pandemic, the staff members of The Belize Bank Ltd. were not able to assist in the building of the home; however, were kept up to date via videos through the kind effort of Ms. Rashida Bethran, Director of Building for Change Program, for Hand in Hand ministries.
Ms. Darlene has expressed her sincere gratitude to Hand in Hand ministries and especially the Belize Bank Ltd. for making her dream of owning a home come true.
The Belize Bank has been sponsoring the Adventure Sports Club since its inception in 2015. The club is committed to promoting the developing football in Belize by engaging youths in the sport from an early age. The club caters to youths ranging from ages 4 years to 18 years. Members have participated in various tournaments and trainings given by certified international coaches. To date, over 300 individuals have benefitted from the program.