Helpende Hande market day brings out the ‘giving spirit’ in residents
Funds raised through the market day will be used by Helpende Hande to help underprivileged youth pay off their student loans, and assist impoverished people with food parcels.
“It was such a ‘giving’ day,” said committee member, Estelle Russell, about the first market day hosted by the local branch of Afrikaans welfare organisation, Solidariteit Helpende Hande.
Russell said the highlight of the event was the handing out of prizes for the lucky draw. “The willingness of each and every business person, who hosted a stall at the market, to donate something of theirs for the lucky draw really reflected the generosity of our community,” she said.
Funds raised through the market day will be used by Helpende Hande to help underprivileged youth pay off their student loans, and assist impoverished people with food parcels. In its most recent outreach project, the local branch funded specialist eye-care for fire-fighters who battled the devastating blaze at the NCT Woodchip Mill in Richards Bay which raged non-stop for a week.
“We are all about helping people,” said Russell, who added that the market day went very well, and drew positive comments from members of the community who supported it, despite being a learning curve for the committee.
“I admit that we didn’t have as many feet come through as we hoped and next time, we will market the event more vigorously, but I still consider the event a success because everybody who came, had a wonderful day,” Russell concluded.
Russell urges members of the Afrikaans community to join Solidariteit Helpende Hande.
Residents who are interested in joining can make arrangements to collect a membership form by getting in touch with Estelle Russell on 082 872 8484, or contacting chairman of the local branch, Rob Russell, on 083 774 0972.
Members pay a monthly fee which is used towards the organisation’s outreach projects.
Anyone seeking help from Helpende Hande must complete an application form on the organisation’s website.
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