Dear Editor,
After eleven wonderful years of financially supporting Elaine Steabler’s Hibiscus Animal Welfare the team at Spiller’s Charity Shop are handing over the baton to Penny Taylor.
Penny co-owner of Harmony Hills Animal Hotel, with Renate Hausmann, operate the animal charities Cat’s Cradle and Harmony Hills Rescue Haven.
ALSO READ : New chapter for charity shop
Elaine started rescuing, sterilising and re-homing animals in 2008 when she first moved to the South Coast.
She initially worked under the umbrella of Durban Animal Anti Cruelty League but later founded Hibiscus Animal Welfare (HAW).
Since then she has been tireless in meeting the needs of abandoned and abused animals.
In June 2009, Corrine Saunders, owner of La Vogue Jewellers, opened the upmarket Spillers Charity Shop primarily to provide funds for HAW.
She was helped by the Spiller family, the owners of Spiller’s Wharf ,who generously provided a shop rent-free.
Over the years the shop moved four times, downstairs, upstairs, back of house and front of house.
Volunteers helped to sort the donations of stock and ran the shop working three hour shifts, six days a week.
Four of the original volunteers have made it to the finish line.
Other volunteers gave years of service only leaving the shop when they relocated or ill health intervened.
The public has been supportive from the first day bringing a never ending stream of good quality goods to sell and the team and Elaine are extremely grateful to them as with no goods to sell there would have been no charity shop.
Of course, they also came to spend at the shop too ensuring it’s financial success.
So the end of an era of much hard work, fun, laughter and occasional heartache.
Elaine and the volunteers would like to express their thanks to all the wonderful people who have supported them so well over the years.
How gratifying that the work will still continue in the safe hands of Penny and Renate.
CAROL ANN
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