Help the Melville Koppies and Junkie Charity Shop
MELVILLE – Visiting the Koppies or donating some stuff from your home could go a long way in helping the Friends of the Koppies.
Donate unused items to help the Koppies keep paying salaries.
The Friends of Melville Koppies (FOMK) and Junkie Charity Shop in Melville are encouraging all their friends and supporters to visit them soon after a challenging few months. During the lockdown, both the Melville Koppies and charity store seized all operations which had a devastating impact on their finances, including the struggles of paying salaries to staff. Wendy Carstens, chairman of the Friends of Melville Koppies, and Michelle de Villiers, owner of the Junkie Charity Shop, are calling on the public to help them by donating unused items to the Melville-based store. Carstens said, “We would appreciate it if people could clear their cupboards of stuff, take it to Junkie, and designate our iconic Melville Koppies as a beneficiary.”
Items such as pots, furniture, arts and many more can be donated to the Junkie Charity Shop. Donors will be asked who they would like to be listed as a beneficiary. This money will then be given to the Friends of Melville Koppies who use it as salaries for the staff that helps keep the Koppies safe, clean and healthy, as they have always done. Carstens explained, “Melville Koppies has benefited every month from such contributions. In these difficult Covid times, such contributions are even more vital as our income from hikes and guided tours for the public has dried up due to the lockdown.” The shop had also lost a large portion of customers during this time due to the scarcity of trade.
In addition to donating items to the store, the public can help put food on the table for the conservation team who keep Melville Koppies in a pristine condition by adding Friends of Melville Koppies as a beneficiary in Woolies MySchoolMyVillageMyPlanet cards. A monthly donation to the Friends of Melville Koppies would also be incredibly helpful.
With government allowing intra-provincial travel for leisure once more and the City of Johannesburg opening up parks such the Melville Koppies, the Friends of Melville Koppies have also invited people to visit them for guided tours of the scenic trail. Carstens said, “The August Gold flowers are dotting the veld and the Koppies are looking marvellous. The Melville Koppies are a haven to destress in their rather difficult times we are experiencing.”
Details:
Friends of Melville Koppies
wendavid@mweb.co.za
Junkie Charity Store:
7 7th Street, Melville
Michelle de Villiers 082 923 4189
