A blessed Christmas for Silverdays despite hardships
SAVF Silverdays residents were blown away by the public's generosity which made for a wonderful Christmas holiday period.
The SAVF Silverdays Old Age Home had the best Christmas season ever, thanks to the overwhelmingly positive reaction to a December article in Lowvelder.
Silverdays’ marketing manager, Elize Steenkamp, said, “In response to the story, we were thoroughly spoiled by 44 separate donations. We could hardly believe how many people had come forward with groceries, refreshments, essential toiletries, cash donations and Christmas hampers.
“People donated from as far away as Belfast and our residents were able to enjoy a proper Christmas feast last year. Vitally, it also allowed us to continue our outreach project for people who do not receive frail care in Waterval Boven.”
A resident, Anne Bier, said, “It was an incredible response. My bedroom was so full of confectionery and other goodies that I could’ve started a little shop.”
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The publicity also inspired a flurry of visitors who brought much-needed social contact for the home’s 27 residents.
Steenkamp said, “The seniors were blown away by the bikers from Steelwings Lowveld and the Lowveld Motorcycle Safety Initiative who arrived with their gifts of cash, venison boerewors, a huge gammon and other meat and groceries.
“It was such a thrill for the elderly to see those bikers roaring in and bearing their gifts. It infused the home with a spirit of youth and joyfulness.”
According to Silverdays’ head of household, Ansie de Bruyn, the people were in tears when the bikers and all the other gifts rolled in.
“I’m a born Lowvelder and I was especially moved by the response to the article. We love your newspaper, because it always includes good-news stories. Thanks to everybody who made Christmas so special last year,” she said.
Steenkamp thanked all the individuals, businesses and the broader Lowveld community for its kindness.
“A very big thank you to the NG Kerk- Suid, the Gereformeerde Kerk, the Lowveld Motorcycle Safety Initiative, Steelwings Lowveld, Agora Africa Quantity Surveyors, the Ngodwana community, Macadamia Care, the Ouma and Oupa Project and SPAR Courtside. I’m sorry we can’t thank everyone, but you make us truly proud to be Lowvelders,” she said.
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In the past, Silverdays had relied on residents’ Sassa grants, money from the National Lottery and the subsidy from the Department of Social Development, which has remained constant over the past decade, despite chronically rising inflation.
The lottery grant was a once-off donation and was used to continue Silverdays’ outreach and staff training programmes and to upgrade the home’s facilities.
“That money was very well used, but now we’re facing a turning point. Although we’ve had clean audits for the past five years, we still have a monthly deficit in our budget. We seriously need regular donors if we are to supply the care that all elderly people deserve and need,” Steenkamp said.
To this end, SAVF Silverdays is asking Lowveld businesses to set up small, monthly debit orders. All donations are tax- deductible and all donors will be issued with the necessary Article 18a certificate to reclaim their donations.
Steenkamp said, “My vision is for us to become more self-sustaining. We want to start an antiques shop in a shipping container and to raise funds for solar panels so that our elderly and frail care residents aren’t left in the dark.”
Potential donors may contact Silverdays on 013 2570478 or write to silverdae.manager@savf.co.za
