With the Christmas season approaching quickly, Shantell Pascascio is once again organizing Boxes of Joy, an initiative to provide Christmas gifts for underprivileged children of San Pedro Town. On November 15th Pascascio held her first fundraiser: a children’s fashion show called Fashion Kids.
According to Pascasio the show was a huge success despite the unpredictable weather conditions. The show consisted of five segments: Swim Wear, Island Wear, Casual, High Fashion formal and a last segment called “My Style”. The “My Style” segment was all about the individual and his/her personal style. For this segment, the models customized their favorite outfit to match their personalities. The young models certainly demonstrated a great sense of fashion and even a great love for the runway.
All proceeds from the show went toward the purchasing of gifts for Boxes of Joy. According to Pascascio, who created and organizes Boxes of Joy in 2012, it is all about giving back to the community that has supported her in all her endeavors. “I enjoy volunteering and giving back. Christmas is the perfect time to give back. Last year Boxes of Joy collected donations from the community and other parts of Belize to purchase presents that are wrapped up for children whose parents/guardians cannot afford to do so. Not all donations were cash. Some people bought toys and even donated items they had stored at home. The only problem was that last year I began preparations late – I started two weeks before Christmas and I was unable to meet my expectations. I managed to collect only 370 toys. This year, within the two months working on the project, I want to provide at least 500 gifts,” said Pascascio.
She also stated that Fashion Kids will be an event she will hold annually. “I want to thank everyone who supported me and continue to support me with Boxes of Joy. Special thanks to my parents, my friends, businesses in San Pedro, the young models and their parents, the boutiques, Carlo & Ernie’s Runway Bar for hosting and all my sponsors.”
Sponsors for the event include: Divas & Dudes, Island Bargain Center, Mars Boutique, Love Belize, The Palms Ocean Front Suites, Mar de Colores, Foreva Fancy, Caramba Restaurant, Carlo and Ernie’s Runway Bar, Deyan’s Fashion Jewelry, Jose Luis Zapata Photography, The San Pedro Sun, The San Pedro Town Council, Tropic Air and DJ Dzl.
