Zakiya Mckenzie
zakiyam@caxton.co.za
ON 23 AUGUST representatives from Pirates Road Running Club in Greenside visited Marang House to hand over a cheque with proceeds from their December 2012 Wobblers and Wigglers Hat Run.
The annual 8km race travels passed the home on its course and the children are always outside having fun cheering the runners on.
Marang House was founded in 1998 by well-known Northcliff doctor, the late Pieter Ernst, to provide around the clock medical care to disadvantaged children ages four to fourteen suffering from chronic illnesses. The representatives of the club were pleased to pass on the R10 000 contribution as their visit to the home made them confident that it was going towards a good cause.
“We are lucky there are people that do this work,” said treasurer of Pirates Road Running Club Paul Vlaming on the work being done to ensure recovery for the children at the home. “We can be so selfish thinking about our own pleasures and forget that we can contribute to someone else.”
For the 12 children that live at the home, the family-oriented home environment gives them an ideal recovery setting where they are looked after but still have a chance at a normal childhood. The costs of traveling back and forth to hospitals means that many chronically ill children and their guardians sleep in these facilities to meet appointments. At the home, the children go to school, play and have chores, but they also have their medical needs taken care of.
“We are very thankful for your donation. Donations give me all the right tools to be a mother to these children and to do my job giving them the care they need,” said matron of the home Salome Parkies.
“This is our community, this is where we run and some of us even live here, so we are glad to help those that welcome us,” said Sue McLaggan, committee member of club.
Details: Marang House: 011-476-6698 or Pirates Road Running Club www.piratesclub.co.za/road-running
