The annual charity events to swim or paddle in the Atlantic Ocean has, this year, so far, raised over 1700 Euros.  A big thank you and congratulations to everyone who took part, to BlueXperience for participating on paddles on Christmas Day, the teams of Volunteers collecting donations, those who watched, the media for the publicity, Diogo Correia and Alberto Cortez for their superb photografic coverage of the events and to everyone who donated so generously.
Great excitement was added by the TV crews - Portuguese channels - Sic, TVI and CMTV on Christmas day and TVI and CMTV on New Years Day.

Photos: Diogo Correia http://facebook.com/diogo10

Thank you and congratulations to all those who participated in the Traditional Charity Santa Swim on Christmas Day in Armação de Pêra. The weather was warm with blue skies and sea was fairly calm, with a temperature of about 18ºC.  Santas started arriving from 10.15am, and at 11.00am a great number of Santas ran toward the sea for their annual dip in the ocean.
Our thanks to film crews from TVI,  SIC, and CMTV who came to record  the event.

Everyone enjoyed a very welcome glass of Hot Chocolate and Brandy in the Holiday Inn Algarve Bar afterwards. 

Vilamoura International School has donated 7.945€ to a total of 4 charitable causes at their Christmas Concert, last Wednesday 18 December at the Vilamoura Casino. Additionally, 268 Christmas Shoeboxes with gifts were distributed to children in need across the Algarve with the help of Cáritas.

Pai Natal found time in his busy Christmas schedule, to visit Estoi Casa do Povo on the 12^th of December and distribute presents on behalf of the Rotary Club Estoi Palace International.  The Casa do Povo dispenses food packs to the families in Estoi registered with the Faro Food Bank (Banco Alimentar).  During the year RCEPI provides additional milk to these parcels with 6 additional litres per child and 2 per adult.  In 10 years, the Rotary Club has provided well over 50.000 litres of milk to assist the Food Bank.  The children were delighted to see Father Christmas and receive their present and chocolate coins.

The 15th annual "Christmas Shoeboxes for the Elderly" campaign has been a tremendous success this year with over 250 boxes collected and still being distributed.  Due to the generosity of this year's donors the Silves based family charity "Castelo de Sonhos" (CdeS) were able to reach many more elderly folk this year.  CdeS would like to thank everyone who contributed and in particular would like to give special thanks to the following who helped co-ordinate collection & delivery.

For the last 8 years Rotary Club Estoi Palace International (RCEPI) has given a Portuguese / English and English / Portuguese dictionary to each of the 5th year students of the School “Poeta Emiliano da Costa in Estoi.   Earlier in the year 60 dictionaries were handed out by RCEPI President Christine Fay to 60 pupils to help them with their education.

Last Saturday, 7th December, 2019, nearly 200 Santas took part in the eighth Armação de Pêra Santa Parade,  organised by the Junta de Freguesia de Armação de Pêra,  BTT Algarve aniacs, Urban Gym and the Holiday Inn Algarve.

Urban Gym provided warm up excercises.  Participants choose either a walk, or an bike ride guided by BTT Algarve Maniacs. The Santa Parade then began through the streets of Armação de Pêra and it was quite a sight to see so many Santas setting off on their walk together.

Castelo de Sonhos (CdeS), the Silves based family charity would like to thank everyone who helped make their annual kids Christmas party such a success on 7th December. 

120 underprivileged children aged 0 to 15 were entertained by a troupe of acrobatic Capoeira performers, face painting, bouncy castles and games.