De La Salle University-Manila recently concluded its annual For The Kids event with the title of “FTK Dreamland: Into the World of Wonders”. The 31st For The Kids event was held on January 19, 2020 (Sunday) from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM at De La Salle University, Henry Sy Sr. Hall Grounds.
FOR THE KIDS
For The Kids is an annual mini-Olympics for children with special needs. This year, the Center for Social Concern and Action—Lasallian Outreach and Volunteer Effort (COSCA-LOVE) has invited 34 partner Special Education (SPED) centers and brought in 530 children to play games and bond with their assigned “Ate” and/or “Kuya”. The event was one of the biggest social engagement activities in DLSU participated by 541 Ate-Kuya Volunteers from the Lasallian community and other invited sponsors.
The children played various games that the Lasallian athletes handled such as bowling, basketball, football, relay, ball pit, maze, and pasabit. There were also activity booths by selected DLSU organizations that the children went to if they prefer to play mini games or do arts and crafts. The organizers also had food booths which the children and volunteers enjoyed.
The program started off with a Sunday mass followed by numerous performances from magicians, different cultural groups from DLSU, children from the partner centers, and the organizers. Many participants also enjoyed the raffle and awarding for the partner centers thanks to the generous sponsors.
In addition to the festivities held on that day, the organizers also remembered the Batangueños who were affected by the Taal eruption. There was a booth in the venue where the children and volunteers wrote messages of encouragement and donated old toys and clothes. Several Beep Bigay booths, where participants can tap their beep cards to donate Php 5.00 each tap, were also present in the venue to support the fundraising of De La Salle Philippines to help 1,500 evacuees of the recent Taal eruption.
THE ORGANIZERS
FTK is a project under the Student Social Formation Program of the Center for Social Concern and Action (COSCA) in DLSU that is mainly organized by its student volunteer arm, COSCA-LOVE or the COSCA-Lasallian Outreach and Volunteer Effort. Finally, after seven months of preparation for the big event, the volunteers were able to breathe easy as they heard the laughter and saw the smiles on the children’s faces.
For The Kids is not only an avenue for the Lasallian community to take part in social engagement opportunities, but it also aims to raise awareness about the different conditions people may have. One day, people will learn that these are unique characteristics that will eventually be considered normal in our society.
For more information on the event, you may contact the organizers at 523-4143 or 524-4611, local 417/147 and look for Jeanne Fernandez and Rhazelle Teemee Lapuz (Project Heads). You may also follow the event’s official Facebook page through this link: www.facebook.com/DLSUFTK
ADVT