Fourways blanket drive aims to assist locals

The Fourways Main Reef Rotary Club is on a mission to provide community members in need with blankets.

Stephen Margo, public relations officer of the Fourways Main Reef Rotary Club, said that he started the blanket drive about 10 years ago. The first drive began in Morningside and they organised with a blanket supplier to supply 300 blankets which were sold within two-and-a-half hours.

The blankets were then distributed to displaced people in the area and any profit made from the sale of the blankets was donated to various charitable organisations. Margo said that following the success of the drive, they decided to roll it out to other Rotary Clubs.

As many as 25 other clubs have participated in the drives. “This year, because of the lockdown, we couldn’t rely on marketing the event at shopping centres so we’ve relied on past contacts to help support us,” said Margo.

He said that so far this year, they have donated 9 000 blankets. Each club picks an organisation to support with all of the proceeds from the sale. “It’s a very worthwhile project, because it doesn’t cost the clubs anything to host the blanket drive.”

Margo added that the blanket drive has also been particularly successful in assisting during times of emergency. For example, during the widespread fires in Knysna, blankets were donated to communities in need. Similarly, if a fire breaks out at an informal settlement, the blankets are donated to a local organisation to assist.

Anyone who would like to purchase a blanket to be donated can contact steve_margo@global.co.za