Helderberg community thanked for heeding the call for help

Staff Reporter|Published 7 months ago

Pictured above are children of the Johnson and Geyer families from Beaumont Primary School, who made sandwiches after school and then distributed them to children and youth in the Pinetown area in SLP.

Elizabeth Visagie, founder of the community initiative Love In Action, expressed enormous gratitude and appreciation to the community of the Helderberg for heeding to their call for much-needed assistance in the community of Sir Lowry’s Pass (SLP) village after the recent inclement weather.

The Helderberg community on Mandela Day (Thursday July 18) responded with generous donations to the vulnerable residents in SLP from individuals, schools and local businesses.

“It’s not about how much you donate or how much time you give. Together, our efforts create a beautiful impact,” Ms Visagie says.

Even in the run up to Mandela Day, local craft women were hard at work creating warm winter essentials to distribute to those in need. Volunteer Madelein Yacumakis and her sewing group in Heldervue, Somerset West crafted beanies, snoods, and scarves, sourcing materials and funds from their neighbourhood to hand out to the people of SLP on Mandela Day.

“A heartfelt thank you to each person who made an impact by sharing and caring during those 67 minutes,” she expressed with thanks.

She extended her thanks to all the donors who contributed including Shoprite Checkers, who dispatched their mobile soup kitchen to the area, families from Hendrik Louw Primary School who donated a carload of clothing, bedding, Heartlands Baby Sanctuary for baby food and essentials, Gordon’s Bay Pick ‘n Pay for donations of bread, groceries, and bedding, regular volunteer Andre Du Toit who delivered Pick ‘n Pay donations to feeding schemes in the area, employees of Miller Bosman Attorneys who spent their 67 minutes making sandwiches and the Johnson and Geyer families from Beaumont Primary School for the making and distribution of sandwiches.

Building on the community’s support for Mandela Day, Ms Visagie is now focused on Women’s Day, planning a tea party for 200 underprivileged women from Sir Lowry’s Pass and surrounding areas.

“I want these women to feel loved, cared for, and empowered to lead meaningful lives. Many don’t have handbags - a basic item that many of us take for granted. I aim to gift each woman a handbag filled with treats like hand cream, lip balm, or chocolate, along with essentials such as sanitary pads and a toothbrush.”

If you wish to donate a new or gently used handbag, gifts for filling them, decorations for the event, or offer your time as a volunteer, contact Linda Venter on 079 275 7055.

“Let’s continue to care, share, and think of those less fortunate than ourselves. Together, we can transform our community,” Ms Visagie reaffirms.

For more information about Love In Action or to donate, contact Elizabeth Visagie on WhatsApp at 079 275 7055.

The staff of Miller Bosman Attorneys spent their 67 minutes making sandwiches which were delivered to Sir Lowry’s Pass in person, they can here be seen with some of the children and community members of SLP.

In response to the outpouring of generous donations to the community, resident Athi Ndwebi from Rastakamp in Sir Lowry’s Pass wrote this poem.