Children celebrate Easter in Capira

PANAMA. Children in Capira are wrapping up their summer in celebration, and starting the new school year with brand new school supplies, thanks to the Bruce Jones Foundation children's charity, real estate agency Templar Panama, and Marta Martinelli, wife of presidential candidate Ricardo Martinelli.

Eighty children and their families in the small village of Lidice will get some help celebrating Easter today.

Activities organized for the village's children will be dupplemented by the serving of a local traditional meal of chicken and rice for the entire community at midday.

At the event, each child will receive a new school bag filled with supplies for the 2009 school year.

Families will receive a holiday basket of basic foodstuffs and household supplies for Easter Sunday.

The gathering will be held in the public school "Escuela Basica de Lidice" in Lidice, about 40 minutes from Panama city, near Capira.

"Easter is the most important holiday in the religious calendar here, and we wanted to help these hard-working families share in the celebrations like everyone else," said Templar Panama Investment President Martin Lamb.

"Partnering with Bruce Jones Foundation has allowed us to focus our efforts to give back to Panama," said Templar Panama President Gonzalo De La Guardia.

Bruce Jones Foundation Director Maria Donato added, "Lidice is an important community to work with because, although the Capira area is currently seeing a development boom, many people here continue to live in extreme poverty.

“The government has just built a new school nearby, which is a big step in the right direction.

“However, we all know how important it is that the kids have not just a new building, but proper supplies to make the most of their education.

“This is our way of helping to make sure that the kids are prepared materially, mentally, and physically for the new school year.”

Mrs. Marta de Martinelli donated the food baskets, which included essentials such as milk, rice, oil, condiments, beans, lentils, and cleaning supplies.

Mrs. Martinelli and her husband, Panama presidential candidate Ricardo Martinelli, have long been active in helping Panama's poor.

Mrs Martinelli said she was proud of the work being accomplished by Bruce Jones Foundation and was happy to contribute to the effort with a donation of food supplies.

Templar Panama Real Estate is a privately held real estate company based in Panama City,

Bruce Jones Foundation is a charitable organization founded with the purpose of helping Panama's underprivileged children with their health and educational needs.