July Citizen of the Month

GEORGE NEWS - Landon Crowther, the 13-year-old head girl of Hoekwil Primary, is the George Herald Citizen of the Month for July.

Landon received the award for her leadership and caring nature that sparked a community knitting initiative and inspired people across the country and internationally.

Under her leadership, the prefects of the Hoekwil Primary School embarked on a roller coaster journey with their community project, Keep Hoekwil Warm. Landon also recently received a merit award from the Seven Passes Initiative council, for her work in the community during the project.

Since March, people from all over the Southern Cape and throughout the country - as well as New Zealand - started to knit woollen squares for blankets that were distributed to less fortunate families in the Hoekwil area at the start of the winter.

Landon's aim was to collect 20 blankets, but nearing the end of June a total of 200 blankets was received.

The project had a Facebook page, 'Keep Hoekwil Warm', which attracted a lot of attention. "What is so amazing with this project is the fact that the whole community - as well as complete strangers from all over the country - contributed to this school project," said Brenda Goosen, Landon's Grade 7 teacher and guardian teacher for the prefects.

With the help of Landon's mum, Claire Crowther; her granny, Beatrice Whitehead; and Caron Douglas, a retired teacher in George, the team made a real difference to the community of Hoekwil.

"We have a handful of blankets that still need to be distributed, but I'm going to buy the last one for myself as a keepsake," said Landon.

"It was amazing to be part of this. The other day I saw two girls walking to school in Touwsranten, each with a blanket over their shoulders. It was a nice feeling," she said.

The George Herald Citizen of the Month is a community initiative seeking to identify those individuals who make George a better place, whether in the social, business, sport, service or any other sphere.

To nominate an individual who shows these exceptional qualities, send an e-mail to [email protected]. The initiative runs until November and the 2015 Citizen of the Year will be announced in December.

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ARTICLE AND PHOTO: MICHELLE PIENAAR, GEORGE HERALD - JOURNALIST

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