From left: Alexandra V. Durante of Tree of Hands and Katasha Melville, the PR and Sponsorship Executive of Digicel BVI, pose with a driftwood Christmas 'Tree of Hands' at the launching of the 2015 Tree of Hands initiative at Bamboushay Lounge in Road Town on November 26, 2015. Photo: VINO

From left: Alexandra V. Durante, radio personality Paul 'Gadiethz' Peart and founder of Tree of Hands, Carol Durante, at Bamboushay Lounge in Road Town on November 26, 2015. Photo: VINO

Some members of Showtime band came out to show support for the Tree of Hands initiative. Photo: VINO

This year Tree of Hands is hoping, through the kindness of VI residents, to reach some 900 children or possibly even more.

This is according to Alexandra V. Durante, whose mother Carol Durante, along with Barbara Myers, started the initiative. Ms Durante was speaking at a press conference at Bamboushay Lounge in Road Town on November 26, 2015.

Ms Durante noted that Tree of Hands is looking at giving presents to some 900 children or more. The programme started off 20 years ago with 60 children. Close to 400 children benefitted in 2013 and close to 900 last year.

“Last year was the biggest year we ever had...the gifts were literally touching the ceiling at the Main Street store. So the community support has been really, really good,” Ms Durante said.

Last year was also the first year that Jost Van Dyke, Anegada, Virgin Gorda and Tortola were included.

The various Tree of Hands locations this year are: Sugar Works Museum, Imagine Spa, Digicel, Cedar School, Tamarind Club, International Motors, Central Administration Complex, Pearls VI on Virgin Gorda and Sunshine GM Store on Main Street.

Persons wishing to participate in donating toys to the Tree of Hands toy drive are free to pull ‘a hand’ from the Christmas tree at the various Tree of Hands locations. The hand would have the age and gender of the child. Participants are asked to donate their gifts before December 18, 2015.

Durante noted that persons wishing to donate cash or food items can also do so as such donations would then be distributed through the Department of Social Development.

She said the cash usually assists in helping family offset their expenses for utilities.

Digicel on board for 2^nd year

Digicel BVI fell in love with the noble initiative last year and has announced that it is on board again this year. The company is also partnering with Riteway to help some families with groceries for the festive season.

“Digicel is delighted to be a part of this initiative once again. Last year we started the initiative in store and we saw lots of customers coming in and grabbing hands and giving gifts. Digicel staff members were also involved. It is a great initiative to bring the community together to contribute to a worthy cause,” said Public Relations and Sponsorship Executive of Digicel BVI, Katasha Melville.

According to Melville, there may be parents who cannot afford to give a gift to their children this Christmas and the Tree of Hands initiative presents a wonderful opportunity for persons to give gifts to such families.

“Visit our Digicel store as well as the other Tree of Hands locations, give a gift, there may be things at home that you can give,” Ms Melville appealed.

She also said Digicel would love to see this initiative adopted throughout the Digicel markets across the region.

Meanwhile, the wrapping party for the gifts received will be on December 18, 2015 from 3pm to 7pm at Tamarind Club in Josiah’s Bay. All are invited to participate.

Sponsors this year include Digicel, Bamboushay Lounge, Nutmeg Designs, Tamarind Club, Willard Wheatley Primary School, and Tortola Ladies Club.

What is the Tree of Hands?

A list of names and ages of under privileged children throughout the territory is collected from churches, hospitals, social workers, and the prison.

Several trees are decorated with cut-out hands labeled with the child’s gender and age on it (no names). A person interested in participating takes a hand, or several, off the tree and buy gifts for a child of that age and gender as labeled on the hand.

The UNWRAPPED gifts are then either returned to the location of the tree where they picked up the hand.

The gifts will be picked up days before Christmas and will be delivered the day before Christmas.

Types of Sponsorship

Sponsorship 1:

A monetary donation so that we can pay utility bills for the December/January month for families so that they don’t have to be in the dark for Christmas. The money is not given to the families; Social Development will pay bills for them.

Sponsorship 2:

Have a tree up in your shop or office and encourage customers and co-workers to take a hand and buy a gift.

Sponsorship 3:

Grab a hand and buy a gift! No need to put your name on it, just put the hand that you received on the package so we know what age group and gender you picked.