Esta Lotter is our June Hero of the Month

We are excited to announce that Esta Lotter, of Sunward Park, is our deserving second winner in the Advertiser/West Pack Lifestyle Hero of the Month competition.

She has won herself an R1 000 West Pack voucher after being nominated as a community hero. We thank everyone for their nominations for the June hero award.

Before lockdown was implemented last year, every three months Esta hosted birthday parties for about 60 children at various children’s homes in Boksburg and surrounding areas.

“It all started six years ago when I was assisting my friend, Bridget Smuts, who started the initiative. When she relocated to Knysna I took over the project. We used to combine the birthday parties for all the children who had celebrated their birthdays in that month. This was done with the help of sponsors and ‘angle mothers’. We would buy them gifts and for most, it was sadly the only birthday gift they have received in their lives.”

The 44-year-old said due to the outbreak of the pandemic they are no longer able to host parties but they still see to it that they send stationery, donated clothing and food parcels to these children’s homes.

“Children are the future of our country and they deserve every possible opportunity they can get. Some children do not have a choice in what life gives them. If we can make a small difference by putting a smile on their face then the world would be a better place for all.”

Esta, who has sacrificed so much for the enrichment and the happiness of children, said her passion to help the community stems from her mother, who was a social worker.

“I remember once my dad came home and our lounge suite, television and fridge were gone. He thought someone had broken into the house, but it turned out it was my mom who gave it to a gentleman who was left disabled due to an accident. My mom helped him to find a suitable place to live and furnished the place with our belongings.”

The mother of two daughters said besides hosting birthday parties for children, she helps out at soup kitchens and sometimes supplies a loaf of bread to the needy.

Besides her community engagements, she works at St Dominic’s School for Girls as a caterer.

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