Touch lives with the Robert and Claire Peter Foundation

NELSPRUIT – A Dinner Dance in aid of the Robert and Claire Peter Foundation takes place on October 26 at the Lowveld College of Agricultural.

The organization started out by changing the life of one person in South Africa, and it now touches many hundreds of thousands. They are a non-profit organization that collect and donate wheelchairs and medical equipment, shipping 40ft containers at a time to South Africa.

With a strong understanding for the challenges facing people with disabilities, and a relentless desire to help others facing medical hurdles, the Robert and Claire Peter Foundation raises money and collects medical equipment to distribute both in the United States, and in Southern Africa. To date, the foundation has helped an estimated 3 000 children and adults receive the medical equipment they need and has shipped 5 40ft containers filled with items to South Africa. Through these efforts life is now a little bit easier for many individuals and their families.

A member of the Nelspruit community, Lorraine Naidoo is the organizer of the Dinner Dance. “We are so grateful to Lorraine for her generosity, her love and her giving spirit to helping others. Valerie Sebastian is also a board member on our foundation. These two have been instrumental in keeping the activity of the foundation active in South Africa and we know that they have many plans to assist others,” said Martin Peter.

The two founding members, Martin and Audrey left South Africa in 1991 together with their two children, Robert and Claire for treatment at Johns Hopkins Hospital and the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore Maryland USA. On October 20, 1999 their son Robert died while under doing spinal surgery. “Valerie came for his funeral and took his wheelchair for a little boy in South Africa. Our daughter Claire is still under doing treatment, she is a beautiful 25 year old young lady, who needs 24 hour total care,” Martin continued.

In July 2011, the Robert and Claire Foundation facilitated a partnership agreement with Toms Shoes in California, USA and Sesego Cares, charitable organization based in Johannesburg to distribute tens of thousands of newly manufactured shoes to school children in the four provinces in South Africa as well as 4 000 pairs of shoes to the neighbouring independent state of Lesotho.

“Our California team was headed by Tracy Louis-Marie of Toms Shoes, while our South African Team was headed by Annemarie Mostert and Judith Chinkumbi of Sesego Cares, UTI and embraced by a number of volunteer organizations. This is an on-going sustainable project. The dedicated and effort by the many volunteers, and the supporting volunteer organizations, will impact many hundreds of thousands in need and has brought joy and goodwill to South Africa 12 000 miles away,” said Martin.

The dance is just one a few projects to support the foundation. “I am so grateful for every bit of support we get from the local community. I am also very excited about this evening and hope to be the perfect hostess,” said Loraine.

Music by the outstanding acoustic vocalist, folk artist, Billy Brandt from Secunda. Having spent decades in the music business supporting other bands and artists, Billy found his own musical voice and steps into the spotlight as a singer-songwriter for the first time in his amazing career. Influenced by the likes of Gram Parsons to Neil Young, he’s molded his sound by creating his own unique guitar picking, creating a haunting melody which stays with the listener long after the song is over. His deep roots in alt-country have earned him a loyal following.

The dress code for this special evening is formal. Tickets are only R300 per couple that include a three course meal. Lots of prizes to be won on the evening. For more information, contact Loraine on 082-449-6936.