Umtamvuna Views: Pearl is a valuable recycling gem
Every day on her way to work she visits the outside area of a local tavern and picks up discarded tops.
RECYCLING is a little like voting. Many people think that their one little cross on the paper will not change anything, but it’s not true.
A thousand tiny efforts can make a remarkable difference to people’s lives and the efforts of a newly-established NPO called ‘The Sweethearts Foundation’ proves it.
ALSO READ : Umtamvuna Views: Your support will raise funds for Ashton
The foundation’s mission is ‘Inspired by a love for our country and its people, The Sweethearts Foundation allows passionate South Africans to help uplift the lives of less fortunate people in our communities.
Our mission is to provide wheelchairs to those who need them most to give them independence and be an invaluable member of their community.’
The first wheelchair was handed over on Valentine’s Day this year, and in the few short months since then, the organisation has provided 294 wheelchairs to handicapped recipients.
These amazing gifts are funded with money obtained from recycling plastic bottle tops and bread sealers – almost 60 tons of plastic that would have otherwise ended up in a landfill.
The snowball effect of this project has been gathering momentum and two of the many volunteers and helpers are local librarian Carrell Beaver and her inspired domestic worker Pearl Msomi.
Carrell praises Pearl in her Herculean efforts to collect the tops and sealers. Every day on her way to work she visits the outside area of a local tavern and picks up discarded tops.
She has personally handed over bags full, which will soon buy another wheelchair for a needy person. The library is a collection point for this project and Carrell can be contacted on 039 3112281.
Do your bit
On the subject of recycling and pollution, September 21 is International Coastal Clean Up day. Leisure Bay Conservancy and Looking after Leisure Bay invite volunteers to join teams cleaning local beaches.
Details will follow next week, but reserve the day. The Wild Coast Sun Hotel and Casino Resort is also spearheading clean-ups on Port Edward and Wild Coast beaches. For more information, contact Shereen at 078 8007247.
A spring Health and Wellness morning was held last Saturday at Port Edward Holiday resort as a fund-raiser for young Port Edward resident Ashton Dry (11), youngest son of Nicole and Kevin Dry of Umtamvuna River Lodge, who suffers from acute myeloid leukaemia.
The event was organised by Roshie Moodley and Debbie Freeman, who were thrilled to entertain more than 70 women who braved the wind to attend.
Kim Brooks, Alexander Harris and Vanessa Naidoo offered amazing demos of taebo, yoga and aerobics. The many generous sponsors are sincerely thanked.
Happy travels
Beryl Drynan of Palm Beach has a reputation of being a serious traveller. In April she set off for the UK to visit family and friends and also attended a reunion of retired British Airways hostesses – which was a lot of fun.
She then flitted across the channel to Spain to stay with an old friend and the final ‘cherry on the top’ was a glorious month spent in Northern Italy at Lake Garda.
One highlight for Beryl was seeing the opera ‘la Traviata’ staged in an ancient Roman amphitheatre near Verona.
Beryl’s friends threw a welcome-home party at the home of Maureen Kruger in Banners Rest and she is delighted to be back home again.
All news to Philippa.
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