The Kent family won’t be celebrating Christmas the way they usually do this year.
Rather than sitting around a Christmas tree in their home and handing out presents, the Kents will be in Roatan, Honduras, giving locals shoes and food over the holiday season.
Mark and Julie Kent, along with their children—Abi, 18, Parker, 12, and Naomi, 11—plan to bring 60 pairs of shoes down with them, which were gathered as part of the Soles4Souls initiative.
“The shoes are going to kids who need (them) in order to go to school,” said Mark.
Since the 60 pairs of shoes will only benefit 60 children, the family is collecting money to purchase other footwear for those in need while they are in Central America.
“The people who we’re working with down there have said it’s a really big deal to have flip flops…so we’re going to try to get a lot of people flip flops as well.”
Local businesses have also provided the Kents with other accessories to give, such as toothbrushes, bars of soap and bottles of shampoo.
He said it’s the first time his entire family has taken on a trip such as this.
“It’s just a different twist.
“We don’t plan on giving our kids anything for Christmas…(instead) we’re going to go down there and help people out.”
wpaterson@kelownacapnews.com
Twitter: @PatersonWade
