Edenvale Rotary supports community

The Edenvale Rotary Club recently inducted its new president for the 2016/2017 Rotary year.

Garth Trumble will serve as president and is looking forward to a productive year in providing support and assistance to the Edenvale community.

The event was attended by the district governor’s representative Annie Steijn with the assistant governor, Derek Fox.

Guest speaker Mrs Lucy Slaveiro of Little Eden Care Homes shared the history of the society which will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2017.

The society was founded in 1967 when Mrs Slaveiro’s mother Domitilla Rota Hyams was an ordinary housewife who wanted to do something to help children with intellectual disability.

With the assistance of friends, advice from experts in the field and a R10 donation, Little Eden opened its doors to the first three little girls in 1967.

“Initially the society was a daycare facility, operating from the Edenvale Methodist Church hall,” said Mrs Slaveiro.

“Today, Little Eden is a benchmark non-profit organisation accommodating 300 children and adults with profound intellectual disability in two specialised residential care facilities,” said Mrs Slaveiro.

At the society residents receive 24-hour nursing, medical care, and specialised therapy, food and clothing.

“Most of the children are abandoned and very few families are able to contribute to their care. It costs R10 000 per month to care for each child and this is offset by a grant of only R3 600 from the government,” said Mrs Slaveiro.

“Edenvale Rotary contributed to the inception of Little Eden Care Homes and continues to support them,” said the new Edenvale Rotary president Mr Garth Trumble.

Edenvale Rotary’s current project is to provide the residents with tracksuits for winter and a donation of 300 tracksuits will be delivered to the home shortly.

Should members of the public be interested in being part of the solution to challenges in the Edenvale community, contact Mrs Linda Clarke on 082 929 5142 for further information,