PA Ward 70 raises awareness and feeds the hungry
Ward 70 residents gathered at the corner of 3rd Avenue and Hull Street in Florida on Saturday, 27 February to join local Patriotic Alliance members in feeding 100 hungry mouths and raising awareness about the effects of drug abuse.
It is becoming increasingly obvious to residents that if you want to make a change, you need to speak out and take a stand.
Ward 70 residents gathered at the corner of 3rd Avenue and Hull Street in Florida on Saturday, 27 February to join local Patriotic Alliance members in feeding 100 hungry mouths and raising awareness about the effects of drug abuse. The more rural areas of Florida have built up a reputation of being hotspots for drug abuse and public drinking, including the area this outreach was hosted at.
Led by the PA’s Ward 70 representative, Curt van Heerden, the day began with numerous people from the Institution of Grace (an organisation founded by Curt) presenting testimonies of their personal experiences and losses due to addiction. The testimonies allowed the recovering addicts to shine some light on the consequences of addiction, so that the community members who are currently reliant on drugs and alcohol see the pain and turmoil that come from substance abuse, and take the opportunity to turn their lives around. “It was for them to see that they can get clean again and be a positive influence to society,” explained Curt. “Our young people are killing themselves and each other. If we allow this to happen, and don’t deal with it head-on, we may lose an entire generation.”
Jovial music blared through the speakers for the rest of the day as volunteers walked up and down Hull Street with their anti-drug signs, dancing, shouting and answering questions. While some PA members did this, others set up a make-shift soup kitchen where they planned to feed hungry community members. Large steel pots holding scrumptious mince and baked beans were placed side by side on a table, ready for the contents to be filled into the hollowed-out half-loaves of bread that had been brought along.
More than 80 hungry community members came forward to accept their meal, thanking the women who prepared the food. Curt said his plans are to become a proactive community member, getting actively involved in dealing with the issues affecting his community. He and the other PA members said they have plans to reach out to the rest of the Ward 70 areas, hoping to show residents that by getting personally involved in a community, a positive change can be made.
If you would like to get involved or find out more about this group, visit the Patriotic Alliance Ward 70 Facebook page, or WhatsApp Curt on 066 255 5931.
