Blind Pretoria councillor to raise funds for the elderly at Midmar Mile
Hentie Nortjé is a long-distance swimmer and a practising attorney and is also ward councillor for Sunnyside in Pretoria.
Hentie Nortjé said he has previously swam for a number of schools and institutions in and around the capital over the few last years.
A visually-impaired ward councillor is on a mission to do something good for the elderly in his community.
Hentie Nortjé, who is a councillor of ward 81 in Sunnyside, said he would be participating in the upcoming annual Midmar Mile to raise funds for Residentia old age home.
The Midmar Mile is an annual swimming race held in February at Midmar Dam, north of Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal.
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This year’s race will take place on Saturday.
“I have decided to swim my 19th consecutive Midmar Mile to raise money for Residentia old age home, which caters for different needs of the senior citizens in the capital city,” he said.
Nortjé is a long-distance swimmer and a practising attorney.
The father of two boys, Arno and Henco, said he chose an old age home because, before his mom passed at the age of 81 in July, she stayed in a home.
“She lived for the last 16 years of her life in a retirement village in Rustenburg in the North West. She was not well since May 2017 and her medical condition deteriorated over a period of 15 months,” he said.
“It was during this time that I came to realise that the senior citizens in our country are indeed vulnerable.“
He said he had also learned there were wonderful people at hospitals and old age homes who really cared and dedicated their lives to looking after the elderly.
“It is because of this reason that I have decided to raise funds for Residentia in Sunnyside. This is only a humble attempt from my side to improve the daily lives of the senior citizens,” he said.
“I trust that this effort will also inspire others to assist to improve the lives of our senior citizens in one way or another.”
Nortjé said he has previously swum for a number of schools and institutions in and around the capital over the last few years.
“I have completed similar projects from 2013 up until 2018, but have decided to support the excellent work of the management and staff of Residentia in 2019.”
Nortjé has opened a Backabuddy fundraising page to encourage the public to help him raise funds for the home.
For more information or to make a donation, kindly visit his Backabuddy webpage by clicking: https://www.backabuddy.co.za/champion/project/blind-councillor-swims-for-old-age-home-in
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