Glenvista art club contributes to lasting change

The countdown to Christmas has begun and a group belonging to the Glenvista Art Club is contributing to changing the lives of children in need. The group is donating personalised presents containing essential items and treats to underprivileged children through the Santa Shoebox Project.

Themed ‘Share the Love’, the project is an inspiring community initiative that collects uniquely personalised gifts for underprivileged children. The gifts are distributed to children from vulnerable socio-economic backgrounds, who may never before have received a gift.

The project is unique in that the donor knows the name, age and gender of the child to whom the gift is given. The prescribed items include soap, a reusable shopping bag, a face cloth, toothpaste and a toothbrush, stationery, sweets, an outfit of clothing and a toy. Items must be new and age-appropriate for the recipient.

Kind-hearted

The Glenvista Art Club is spearheaded by a generous ex-school teacher, Carol Wright, who has been running the club for over two decades. She also belongs to the Santa Shoebox Project committee.

“Together with my art students, we decorate and put these boxes together for the Santa project. Before the country was plagued by Covid-19, we would visit less privileged schools and tell them about the project. They then sent us a list of their children’s names, and we submitted the names to head office where they would later get accepted,” explained Wright.

Pledges for the Santa Shoebox Project officially opened on September 1. On the last weekend of October, donors will drop off their shoeboxes at The Glen and they will then be divided according to schools.

To find out more on the step-by-step process of participating in the Santa Shoebox Project pledge, visit www.santashoebox.org.za

Anyone interested in pledging a box may also contact Carol on 063 321 0380.