Salvation Army Hosts Annual Back-to-School Fair

Some of the recipients of the Salvation Army Back-to-School Treat share lens with Salvation Army’s Major Ernest Gachelin (left) Todd Foss (fourth from left), Mrs. Leslie Foss (second right) and Major Germanie Gachelin (right).

A number of children on Providenciales benefitted from the Turks and Caicos Islands Salvation’s Back-to-School Treat, held at its Brighter Future’s Centre along Leeward Highway on that island on Friday, August 25.

In addition, many parents were gifted care packages of food, toiletries, and other needs. Majors Ernest and Germanie Gachelin, heads of the Salvation Army in the Turks and Caicos Islands, along with Todd Foss, the Salvation Army Advisory Board Chairperson and his wife Mrs. Leslie Foss were on hand to orchestrate the exercise.

Foss, in an interview with NewslineTCI, noted that the event was to award the parents for their hard work in providing for their children as well as to celebrate the children going back to school.

Todd Foss (left forefront), Advisory Board Chairman of the Salvation Army presents a female member of the community with a care package during the Back-to-School Treat

“Today is about celebrating the summer and the start of new school season. It is about celebrating education and the opportunity to get an education. It is really about celebrating young people who are the hope for the future, and seeing all these beautiful young smiles today makes me hopeful for the future as well,” Foss said.

He added: “A good part of the gift package has a lot to do with what parents have to spend on back-to-school. So, we are trying to say that you have spent all your money on your children, which is what we want you to do, and here is a little gift to help out with the groceries for this month. And then there is the gifts for the students, which is just a way to encourage them to get excited about school,” Foss continued.

Major Ernest Gachelin (right) and Major Germanie Gachelin (left) present a care package to a member of the community during the Salvation Back-to-School Treat

He said the back-to-school items included backpacks, notebooks and other school utensils.

“There are some backpacks, there are some notebooks, and all kinds of neat things that are in there. This is our gift to them and our encouragement to have a great year,” he said, pointing out that the Salvation Army, which has been operation in the Turks and Caicos for about a decade and a half, stage these events on an annual basis.

Major Ernest Gachelin (left) and Major Germanie Gachelin sort through the gift bags, making sure that all the children get a goody bag

He stated that the role of the entity during this time of the year is to lessen the back-to-school financial burden on parents by assembling care packages.

“The Salvation army has been in Turks and Caicos for little over 15 years now, and each year we do a back-to-school celebration. We try and help out where parents are burdened by the normal cost of life, and depending on how many kids you have, anybody with kids know how expensive that can be.

“So our goal is to, again, just try and help out a little in that area, and also to celebrate the start of a new school year, which, as a former teacher, I get excited about, so I like to see the excitement on all of these young people’s faces, and the fact that they are exciting about school makes me excited about the rest of us,” Foss said.

Major Ernest Gachelin (left) and a parent, assist this little girl in a balloon bursting contest

In addition to school utensils for the children and care packages for parents, the attendees were also feted with delectable foods and drinks. A devotional exercise, games and other fun activities preceded the giveaways.