Valuable Valentine’s luncheon for 21 Club

TRADITIONAL hearts and roses, chocolates and strawberries celebrated St Valentine at 21 Club’s February meeting.

A record 97 members and guests attended.

The food was great and the mood was festive, but the love was for Toti and its environmental issues.

There was no lack of passion. Speaker, Shaun Callaghan of the Army Saints impressed with his sincerity and energy, leaving many members filled with the desire to help in some way.

Shaun is a Toti boy, born and bred. He attended local schools, Toti Primary and Kingsway High and studied at UKZN Pietermaritzburg. He was voted Mr Personality SA by 5FM after being dared to enter the first leg at Toti Beach.

Shaun is involved in his parents’ distribution business and also runs his own software development and web design firms, manned by employees he trained.

The local SPCA was first to benefit from Shaun’s desire to help. A potentially costly bush-clearing job to accommodate more cages was advertised by Shaun on Facebook and 32 volunteers arrived and saved the SPCA thousands.

More projects followed and support grew. The Army Saints was established with a ‘no money, no politics, no religion’ policy. People contribute only goods and service.

The Army Saints’ work clearing hyacinth from the Toti River – which took months – has been well documented. The rescue of the fish at risk after sewage was pumped into the river was another successful undertaking. Calling himself an ‘instigator’, Shaun believes any problem can be solved if interested parties work together. He puts much of his income into worthy causes but the crux of the matter is that he makes things happen.

Shaun doubts he will ever be a millionaire. “I’d rather be a semi-poor, average Joe and know I made a difference.”

Members who wish to contribute to our collection of clothes to support the work of the Army Saints should take them to the 21 club’s March meeting.

Eleven members celebrated birthdays, with Hannelore Wagner and Maureen Dixon being congratulated on achieving 70, and Jackie Holdrick 60 – good years.

The club wishes Aafke Horwood a speedy recovery after her fall and thoughts are with Dawn Maurice after her hip replacement.

Thanks to Greg McLeod for entertaining during dessert and after lunch. Some of the members enjoyed dancing off the excess kilojoules.

The next luncheon will be held at Lords and Legends conference room on Wednesday, 23 March at noon for 12.30pm. The theme is Easter and the decor is colourful. Easter bonnets are welcome. Speakers are psychologists Margaret Furguson and Eddie Maulson.

Members are reminded that confirmation of intention to attend or not, and names of guests, must be received by any committee member by Friday, 18 March. Call Lyn on 082-572-1328 or on 031-903 -4026; Golda on 083-633-6338 or on 031-916-7001; Jenny 083-299-4619 or 031-904-1674 and Gwyn on 072-223-3009 or 031-903-3126. Unfortunately, guests can only be accommodated if there is room.