The Sunshine Centre Association, in Elsburg, held their Christmas and graduation event on November 28.
Sunshine Centre Association provides early childhood development to children between the ages of 18 months and seven years with intellectual and physical disabilities, or children with development delays.
The centre also provides support and capacity building to their families and communities.
Their primary objectives are to provide holistic early intervention day care services to children with disabilities.
Parents and friends were also present at the Christmas and graduation event.
The graduation ceremony was not held for all children at the centre.
“Our programme caters for children up to the age of seven and then they have to go to other centres or programmes that can assist them further,” said centre coordinator Michael Ngobeni.
“We assist children from 18 months to seven years.”
“We were happy with this year’s turnout and with the way the day’s events panned out, I think I can say that this year’s event was one of the best if not the best we have had,” explained Ngobeni.
Harcourts Foundation, in Germiston, donated R10 000 to the Sunshine Centre Association, in Elsburg.
Harcourts representatives handed over the cheque on the same day as the Christmas and graduation event.
“The money will be used to contribute towards much needed roof repairs, we also gave the children and staff sweets, cake and cold drinks to enjoy,” said Harcourts Heloman’s Leonora Swart.
According to Richard Gray, CEO of Harcourts South Africa, the Harcourts Foundation was launched on the back of an over-whelming response from its members wanting to make a difference to their local communities.
“Through ongoing fund-raising efforts, sponsorships and voluntary commission contributions by agents, our group has raised more than R2.6-m for the foundation,” he said.
“By assisting the Sunshine Centre Association, which does so much for so many, with so little, we are upholding the Harcourts Foundation’s commitment to providing support to help, grow and enrich our communities.”
“We are truly grateful for the cheque from Harcourts; we are truly humbled by their generosity and assistance,” added Ngobeni.
Among those present was, Nicole Laxton and Danica Laxton.
Nicole, a Casual Day ambassador, chose the Sunshine Organisation as her beneficiary, this year.
“I chose the centre as my beneficiary, this year, to create awareness of the incredible work they do with children living with disabilities,” she said.
“I have been working with the centre for some time; I also helped to fund raise on Casual Day.”
“Danica and Nicole assist the centre with a number of things; they also brought gifts for children and staff at the Christmas party and we really appreciate the work they do here at the centre,” explained Ngobeni.
“A big thank you to everybody who helps the centre throughout the year and every year.
”I would also like to say thank you to everybody who made our Christmas and graduation event a success; thank you to everybody who attended the event, it is because of you that we had such a successful event.”
