Lions clubs provide relief during unrest
Lion Denis Meyer from Port Shepstone Lions Club was appointed as Lions relief coordinator for the South Coast region.
When news of the looting and unrest broke, Lions clubs all over KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) organised relief for those affected within their respective communities.
Lion Denis Meyer from Port Shepstone Lions Club was appointed as Lions relief coordinator for the South Coast region. Pleas for support and assistance were sent out via social media and almost immediately donations came in from several Lions clubs throughout Southern Africa, as well as other individuals and organisations.
In an extraordinary act of generosity, Johannesburg based charity, Ubuntu Flight Acorn Foundation and the Lions Club of Centurion organised corporate and NGO donations and purchased critical supplies for communities affected by the violence in KZN.
Large consignments of non-perishable foodstuffs, nappies and other essential items were flown to various airports by Cemair, including Margate Airport. These donations were specifically designated for local Lions clubs to assist with their community relief efforts. Members of the Port Shepstone Lions Club then transported the consignments from Margate Airport to their clubhouse which was utilised as a storage depot.
From there, all donations were then sorted and distributed accordingly by Lion Gary Vogt and his committee. Donations were shared with other Lions clubs in the area and hundreds of food parcels were packed for distribution to needy families and various other community help organisations.
Non-perishable food items were also donated to Raj Mahabeer who runs the Hibiscus Food For Life project which is regularly supported by Port Shepstone Lions. Funding raised by the club was also shared with the other Lions clubs on the South Coast to assist with their relief efforts.
Port Shepstone Lions ladies cooked and packed hundreds of frozen meals which were delivered to various local families, the elderly and to South Coast Hospice. An additional consignment of two pallets of peanut butter sachets was also donated by the Garden Route Food Pantry and delivered free of charge by Tritan Transport. These sachets help to combat malnutrition and are incorporated into the food parcels.
This massive and ongoing community relief project was run entirely by Lions volunteers and all requests for support were first thoroughly investigated to ensure that relief was being provided to those who were desperately in need.
Port Shepstone Lions expresses their appreciation to all donors and volunteers who contributed towards the success of this project. Anyone requiring assistance with a food parcel can send a WhatsApp message request to Lion Gary Vogt on 074 1942799.
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