The George Lions, George Rotary, Eden Lions, George Vryburgers, M.O.T.H. and the Round Table of George are all volunteer services organisations whose mission it is to serve and uplift the community. Each service organisation acts autonomously and is affiliated to their controlling bodies via networks.
However, in keeping pace with changing times, these organisations established a forum for cooperation in April 2010 where they pledged to support each other in projects and to join hands in serving the local community.
The pledge is confirmed on an annual basis and during June 2011 the George Vryburgers hosted the annual pledge event where service organisations present their mission, goals and projects for the year and have the opportunity to identify projects of common interest where the organisations could work together.
The pledge event also allows members of the organisations to get to know each other and to build a network of co-operation. This year’s pledge event was a great success and was attended by eight representatives from each organisation. The George Rotary will host the pledge event in 2012.
Joint projects include a SANTA Flight initiated by the Eden Lions where organisation members and local pilots will donate their time and aeroplanes to take underprivileged children on a flight around George.
A fundraising project in the form of a beer festival, initiated by the George Round Table, is planned for the last quarter of 2012.
George Vryburgers
Die Vryburgers is ‘n diensorganisasie, berus op ‘n Christelike grondslag en is nie-polities. Die doelstellings van Die Vryburgers is om die Suid-Afrikaanse gemeenskap te dien, en om die Afrikaanse kultuur en tradisies te erken, uit te leef en op alle terreine te bevorder. Die Vryburgers is sonder winsbejag wat die nood van minderbevoorregtes verlig. Geld word ingesamel en geskenk vir verdienstelike sake. In hierdie proses van samewerking met mekaar en ander rolspelers verryk ons mekaar se lewens.
Die Vryburgers ondersteun ‘n nasionale projek vir die verskaffing van kospakkies aan geïdentifiseerde kinders by skole in George wat nie dit kan bekostig om kos skool toe te neem nie. Die Kos vir Kinders-program betree nou sy tweede jaar en het reeds groot verligting gebring. Vir meer inligting, besoek www. kosvirkinders.co.za en maak ‘n verskil in die lewe van ‘n honger kind.
Die George Vryburgers en die Suid-Kaap Gereformeerde Kerk se hoërskooljeug het in Augustus ‘n uitreik na die Roodewal Preprimêre skool buite Oudshoorn gedoen. Hierdie aksie het begin na ontvangs van 70 kleurvolle borde van die Eden Lions tydens die "pledge"-aand. Tydens die uitreik is daar nie net aan die 100 kinders ‘n warm bord kos voorsien nie, maar die jeug het ook met die kinders gespeel en met elkeen ‘n Bybelvers behandel. Daar is ook brood en blikkies vis na die ouers gestuur. Hierdie aksie is ‘n goeie voorbeeld hoe verskillende organisasies kan saamwerk om ons gemeenskap te dien.
Vir nadere besonderhede oor die George Vryburgers, kontak Stuurman Chris Els by 0824134802 of besoek www.vryburgers.co.za.
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Die Vryburgers.
M.O.T.H
The Memorable Order of Tin Hats (Moths) have been helping fellow comrades in need since 1927. The Moth was founded on 7 May 1927 by Charles Evenden, later to be known as Moth 0.
The idea of the Order, then and now, is to help fellow comrades in need, either financially or physically and to remember all servicemen who have answered the Sunset Call, both in war and peace time.
The Moth consists of Provincial Dugouts, District Dugouts and Shellholes.
The three MOTH ideals are: True Comradeship, Mutual Help, Sound Memory.
No little child will ever starve or suffer needless pain; the aged will live their twilight years in sunshine, not in rain; the crippled we will help to walk, the blind we’ll help to see; the wonders of God’s handiwork in all its majesty.
To feed, to clothe, to build again, where hopes should shattered be, this is the crowning MOTH ideal, to help humanity.
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Keith Carew from M.O.T.H. shares about his organisation’s work and goals at the recent pledge ceremony.
Eden Lions
The Eden Lions Club is one of the more than 46 000 Lions clubs worldwide, with over 1,35 million members.
After two years of operation in George, Eden Lions are proud of a long list of both fundraising and service projects focused on uplifting local communities. The 29 members work tirelessly across a broad spectrum of services. During the month of September the very successful Eden Talent Search focused on children under 18, showcasing extremely talented children who could win prizes donated by the community.
The Eden Lions Alert Team are currently linked with the emergency service units of George and are in training to assist in the case of disasters that may hit the area.
The well-known Feed Me project is well under way in an attempt to eradicate hunger "one plate at a time". The sale of colourful plates raises funds towards this end and the project is in the process of spreading throughout the country via respective Lions Cubs in different areas, even crossing borders as it reaches other countries.
With the approach of the Christmas season, the members are hard at work to try and make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate.
Contact President Barbara Haywood: 072 699 4180 or visit www.edenlions.org.za.
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Eden Lions President Barbara Haywood, host of last year’s pledge event, hands over the pledge shield to the Vryburgers’ Chris Els whose organisation hosted this year’s event.
Round Table
Round Table started in England in 1927 when the Prince of Wales said, "The young business and professional men of this country must get together round the table, adopt methods that have proved to be sound in the past, adapt them to the changing needs of the time and, whenever possible, improve them."
Round Table Southern Africa is a non-political, non-denominational association of young men between the ages of 18 and 40, embracing representatives of nearly every profession and occupation, whose objects encompass the encouragement of high ethical standards, the promotion of social intercourse and fellowship among young professional men, the quickening of individual interest in everything affecting the public welfare, and the promotion of understanding amongst peoples of different cultural, language and political backgrounds.
Eden Lions President Barbara Haywood, host of last year’s pledge event, hands over the pledge shield to the Vryburgers’ Chris Els whose organisation hosted this year’s event.
George Lions
Students from the Free State University helped George Lions and Werner Fourie Optometrists by testing and supplying 240 people with much needed spectacles.
Rotary Club
The Rotary Club of George is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year. For over half a century, dedicated Rotarians have been serving George and the surrounding areas, and through many projects have uplifted the community in many ways.
Rotary is a worldwide organization of more than 1,2 million business, professional, and community leaders. Members of Rotary clubs, known as Rotarians, provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world.
There are 33 000 Rotary clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas. Clubs are non political, non religious, and open to all cultures, races, and creeds. As signified by the motto - Service Above Self - Rotary’s main objective is service: in the community, in the workplace, and throughout the world.
Locally over the years Rotary has, for example, bought a rescue boat for the NSRI, a patient transfer vehicle for the aged, supplied the George hospital with, amongst others, laparoscopic equipment. This amounts to millions of rands of aid, directly to the people who need it most in the George community.
For more information on Rotary, the work they do, and how to get involved, contact Donald Goldfain on 083 251 8401 or Jenny Becker on 083 628 2494.
Rotary donated a bus to Bethesda as one of their many projects.
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