Fundraiser to honour Moot resident a success
Thanks to the Play Rewind Paws initiative, more than a bakkie load of pet food was donated to the Wollies Animal project.
An initiative to honour a beloved resident of the Moot this past weekend was a success.
Thanks to the initiative, more than a bakkie load of dog and cat food was donated to the Wollies animal project on Saturday through the Play Rewind Paws initiative, said organiser Alicia du Preez.
The initiative followed after former Capital Park resident Kayla Burger (24) died in May in a road accident on the corner of Steve Biko and Soutpansberg roads.
She was about five kilometres from her home.
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Du Preez told Rekord that she and Burger, even though they were family, were also the best of friends.
“I am so thankful to everyone who helped to make this donation a success,” she said.
“Wollies was also very thankful for the donation because they are under pressure at the moment.”
She said during the handover, she was constantly reminded of Burger.
“I was very emotional throughout the handover. I missed her so much,” she said.
“It felt like only yesterday that she rushed through the kennels with excitement to give love to each of the animals at the shelter – she always got so angry because people tended to give more attention to the smaller dogs.”
Du Preez told Rekord that she and Burger started competing together earlier this year.
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“We started competing in Apprentices South Africa, a show that will air on Via in August and empowers people in the entertainment industry,” she said.
As part of her journey, Du Preez said she started a fundraiser for a cause that was very close to Kayla’s heart – animals.
“After Kayla passed away, I did not want to continue with the competition and I even spoke to the managers about it,” she said.
“However, I quickly decided to continue with the hope that I could make a difference in someone else’s life.”
Du Preez said she decided to pick animals as a fundraiser because it was a cause that Burger was passionate about.
“Kayla was very passionate about animals – she would be late for class if it meant that she could rescue a stray in need,” she said.
“I have never been to Wollies before until Kayla took me there – she was so full of smiles and laughter when she was around animals.”
She said that she planned a second fundraiser through the Play Rewind Paws initiative, with the handover taking place on 12 October.
“I am going to continue with the Play Rewind Paws initiative, which was why I gave it a name to make it something substantial,” she said.
“In her time on earth, Kayla has not only made a difference in the lives of people but of animals as well.”
Anyone who wanted to help or get involved could send an email to Aliciasherry10@gmail.com.
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