Allen Park Retirement Village hosts a fundraiser

Allen Park Retirement Village in Allen Grove recently hosted its annual fundraising event.

The retirement village survives on sponsorships and fundraisers and this was their biggest one for the year.

The fundraiser was not only held for the Kempton Park community to get out and have fun but it was also aimed at the elderly residents of Allen Park who are Sassa pensioners.

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Most of the elderly residents are in the rental units and events such as the latest fundraiser assist them financially.
In attendance were learners from Shangri-La Academy.

Learner Thato Motsaanaka spoke to the Kempton Express.

“We are here to do our community service for our Grade 11 next year. Our participation was organised by our teacher Mr Papadimitrou. We care for the elderly,” he said.

He added that young people should take care of the elderly and appreciate them because, without them, they wouldn’t be here.

Therapy TopDogs was also in attendance. It is a voluntary organisation that started in the Ekurhuleni but has now spread across South Africa.

Therapy dogs assist in the well-being of children with learning disabilities with a reading program.
Valerie Riekert spoke to the Kempton Express.

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“In rehab centres, these dogs work with physiotherapists to ‘distract’ uncomfortable patients while their aching limbs get massaged.

“In hospitals, patients are encouraged, in retirement homes and frail care centres, therapy dogs provide comfort with a visit to the elderly and lonely,” she said.

The Kempton Express caught up with the Council for the Aged in Kempton Park CEO, Eddie Pake.

“We are fortunate in the sense that we have quite a few schools that support us. We have schools such Shangri-La Academy and Laerskool Impala who are involved in our fundraisers,” he said.

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In addition, Pake said that they approached sponsors who donated the items and products that were on sale at the event.

“We’re fortunate this year that we didn’t have to buy a single ingredient. We received everything from our sponsors,” he said.