GOOD CLEAN fun competed with jolly Saint Nick for attention as over 60 children were feted by the Roraima Group of Companies at the Arrowpoint Resort, located at the Santa Mission, a predominantly Amerindian community on the Demerara River.
Arriving at the resort, the children looked for Santa Claus, peering around and inside cabins, believing that he had already arrived and was hiding out on the premises.
However, the children, who were unsuccessful in their quest to find Santa, soon heard a loud “Ho, Ho, Ho!” from the direction of the creek. Rushing out, they beheld the spectacle of Santa and his helpers coming in the distance.
To their great puzzlement, however, Santa was not there. It was at this moment that he made his appearance, having been on land all along, after all. He had managed, through elaborate trickery, to surprise them, to their great delight.
Always keeping his appearance fresh, Santa had managed in the past to arrive either by helicopter, wave runner, riding through the jungle on an all-terrain four-wheel-drive motorcycle or by canoe.
According to Arrowpoint Manager, Mr. Michael Patterson, the event was in collaboration with the Santa Mission community. He noted that the resort, which goes back almost two decades, has a very strong relationship with the community.
Noting that Santa Mission is a predominantly Arawak community, he said that the company’s activities are reflective of this fact.
Overseeing most of the many sports and games that the children played, son of the CEO of Roraima Industries, Mr. Gerry Gouveia Junior, said that the party is one of the company’s ways of giving back to the community.
He noted that the Arrowpoint Resort is wholly staffed and manned by the native Amerindians of Santa Mission. Gouveia said that due to the company’s long and continued relationship with the children, they are able to give each child a more personalised gift suited to their wants and needs, instead of a generic one.
Headmistress of Santa Mission Primary, Ms. Donna Patterson, who, with other teachers, accompanied the children, said that her youthful charges looked forward to the party all year.
She said that the company, which adopted the school in 1994, assists it in satisfying its stationery, transportation, tours and other needs. She also noted that through the company, the community now has a community library.

Last but not least, the most important man of the day introduced himself as Santa Claus, of course. Asked why he chooses to come to the quiet community, he said that he knew SANTA Mission was a special community, after he discovered it on Facebook. Advising the children to be good and not give their parents rudeness, he reminded them that he will continue to check his magic list to see who’s been naughty or nice.
For the children, the fun continued even after Santa left, presumably for the North Pole. After a sumptuous meal, which was followed by generous amounts of cake, ice-cream and sweets, the children competed in a variety of sports and games, where all competitors were rewarded with more presents for their efforts, whether they won or not.
Racing, kayaking, arm-wresting, dancing, and blind-folded ice cream eating were but a few of the activities in the chockfull day of fun the children had.