Prez Carmona grants Christopher’s wish

Four-year old Christopher Moraldo, had three wishes coming true. He received an introduction to an engineering kit, spent the day as a police officer, and met with his hero, President Anthony Carmona.

Towards the end of the presentation of the gifts at the Undercover Garden Centre, Upper Santa Cruz, Moraldo was placed in the hands of WPC Ryan of the San Juan Police Station to live his dreams.

Among the recipients were Grenadians, Kishona Mark, 3, and Renold Felix, 5. The other recipients were Liam Lima, 5, Antonio Beepat, 8, and Leon Pinder, 6.

Grenadian ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago, Dr Patrick Antoine, who received the gift on Kishona’s behalf, praised the Grant- A-Wish Foundation for its reach of love, kindness and compassion beyond the borders of the country to make the wishes and dreams of children in dire circumstances, come true.

The foundation’s action, Antoine said, was beyond philanthropy as it also shows the bonds that keep the peoples of Grenada, TT and Caricom, together.

In brief remarks President Anthony Carmona thanked the foundation for sending the message out that it was not only a local institution but that it has an outreach beyond TT. He thanked their sponsors that included students of St Joseph Convent, St Joseph, and Hillview College who were among to raised funds for the gifts. The students were on hand to present them. St Joseph Convent, Grenville, Grenada was the liaison school with their sister school in TT.

Carmona asked them to keep the faith and focus on making a better TT. He asked the teachers to persevere and not to give up as many children attend schools with their problems that originate at home.

“I know the fight can become weary,” he said, “but let us not become weary of doing and being good.” Friday’s gift giving ceremony was in observance of World Wish Day first observed on April 29, 1980 the day that US police officers granted Chris Greicius, 7, who suffered from leukemia, his wish. This led to the establishment of the global Make a Wish Foundation now found in over 50 countries.

Giving a background of the local foundation founded in 2006, Chief Executive Officer Nicholas Gordon said, it was the first of its kind to be established in the Caribbean. It grants wishes to children between three and 17 years.

It is associated, he said, with the Oncology Department of the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complexn and the Precious Touch Foundation of Barbados, the second grant wishing foundation in the Caribbean.

“We offer mutual support including hosting children from respective islands,” he said.

The local foundation is also associated with, and approves visits to Give Kids the World, Kissimme, Florida. In the past, he said, one wish was given at Christmas, but since 2015, with the support of schools and other sponsors, the foundation has been making wishes come true, throughout the year.

To date, he said, the foundation has granted 40 wishes in keeping with its motto,