107 extra pairs of hands make light work of planting
The youngsters arrived at 8am, armed with gardening tools, the will to work and the desire to plant around 5 000 vegetable and herb seedlings.
Over 100 Cubs from the North Rand District arrived at Rand Aid’s Thembalami Care Centre on July 21 to dig in for Mandela Day.
The youngsters arrived at 8am, armed with gardening tools, the will to work and the desire to plant around 5 000 vegetable and herb seedlings.
Accompanying them were parents and team leaders who were just as happy to get stuck in. These volunteers were joined by a handful of care centre residents who worked alongside the visitors, settling cauliflower, broccoli, beetroot, cabbage, spinach, lettuce, spring onion and celery plants, among others, into the well-prepared soil.
The seedlings donation was secured by Anthony Schäffler of Johannesburg-based Schaffler’s Garden Nursery and Landscaping, and additional herbs were donated by the cubs.
Before they started planting, the youngsters were given a few tips by Anthony and Amon Maluleke, a food garden expert who is part of the Thembalami team.
The following cub groups were involved on the day: 1st Kengray, 1st Bedfordview, 1st Edenvale, 1st Hellenic, Eastleigh, Harmelia and 1st St Benedict’s.
“The North Rand District can be proud of these youngsters. They were well behaved, disciplined and prepared to listen to the planting demonstrations,” said Elize Raath, the manager of Thembalami.
The Lombardy East care centre is run by 115-year-old NPO Rand Aid Association and incorporates the Max Ordman Deaf Association.
