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The Parkview community touch the lives of many

PARKVIEW – The Parkview community's successful blanket drives keeps many warm this winter.

The Parkview community blanket drive ran from the 10 to 31 May.

Parkview Residents Association (PRA) partnered with St Francis of Assisi Anglican Church and St Columba’s Presbyterian Church to collected blankets for the homeless. The project’s goal initially was to raise enough funds to purchase 500 blankets, and thanks to the incredibly generous Parkview community, enough money was raised to purchase 1 072 blankets. With almost R86 000 raised, the community was able to purchase these warm blankets through Morningside Rotary.

Parkview Junior School’s Emily Muir and PRA’s Caryl Kelly (back), and learners Michelle Phiri and Eli Monson (front) with some blankets and a cash donation to purchase blankets. Photo: Supplied

“The PRA would like to express their sincere thanks to the Parkview local businesses, community members and local schools for their generous support. As a result of this drive the Parkview community was able to give blankets to a considerable number of organisations and charities in Joburg,” said Caryl Kelly, marketing and communications person of the association.

Brian Dube, Anele Msebele, Sipho Mzizi and Thobela Velem are happy to be sleeping in warm blankets this winter. Photo: Supplied

Distribution started close to home through St Francis feeding scheme and St Columbas pantry recipients. Blankets were also given to the association’s street cleaning team and Tyrone Avenue car guards.

Parkview Senior learners and Roganie Soodyall hand over the blankets to Caryl Kelly (right) from the PRA. Photo: Supplied

Other charities that benefitted from the drive included MES inner-city outreach for the homeless; Every Nation Crisis Response Team (Malibongwe) that offers skills training for women who have children and no income; Thandanani, a discipleship and training programme for homeless men; and Baby and Child Africa Havens for orphans.

Blankets collected from Parkview Senior School, Parktown Girls High and Parkview Junior School. Photo: Supplied

Blankets were also donated to Random Acts of Kindness based in Randburg, a feeding scheme in Delta Park; Rosebank Shelter; Helen Joseph Hospital; Cross The Divide in Craighall Park; Tshepo organisation in Linden; and Parkcare Nursing Home in Parktown West.

Caryl Kelly from the PRA collects blankets from local Parkview Schools. Photo: Supplied

The Parkview community was delighted to be able to make a small but meaningful difference to a number of people in Johannesburg this winter, according to Kelly. Thankfully, the first blanket distribution was able to take place early in winter before the icy cold weather set in at the start of June.

Learners of Parktown High School for Girls and St John’s College help distribute blankets at St Francis as a part of their community service hours. Photo: Supplied
Parktown Girls High learners and marketing and communication’s person Kerry Liss, hand over blankets to the PRA’s Caryl Kelly. Photo: Supplied

It is so important to remember the words of Desmond Tutu who made this fitting statement: ‘Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.’

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