Rotary honours caring kids
The White River Rotary Club held its first meeting of the year last month and handed out the first awards.
Frances Hyson of White River Rotary said the first two awardees of the year were two young pupils of Uplands School, who received Rotary’s Community Service Awards.
Hyson said it was during lockdown that the Rotary Club had created a disaster fund to feed thousands of people unable to work or feed their families.
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“The fund was generously supported by people from overseas, mainly Switzerland, and locals,” said Hyson.
However, when Uplands pupils James and Sophie Velleman heard of the fund, and realising the plight facing thousands of other people, the two decided to donate all their pocket money and savings to the fund.
“They produced a video showing the food packs that Rotary was distributing and challenged other pupils from Uplands to donate their pocket money, too,” said Hyson. She said the two were able to raise several thousand rand for the fund.
“The Rotary Club is very grateful for the support they have received, that has enabled many families to receive food packs.
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“They were also given a large donation of milk and other dairy products, frozen foods and tons of e-pap – a nutritionally enhanced and flavoured porridge – as well as cash donations,” she said.
Hyson added that the fund remains an ongoing project for the club, as there are still many families suffering from the lockdown and the effects of Covid.
