That was the response to the overwhelming support from the local community for the ‘Give a gift, Change a life’ project facilitated by the George Herald.
On Christmas day the lives of numerous people were enriched by the fantastic gifts they received from fellow Georgians.
More than 250 gift boxes, containing a few items each, were wrapped and handed out to children at Syferfontein, the George Hospital and Bethesda Hospice. Adults at The Haven Night Shelter George received travelling bags containing a variety of toiletries, hats and t-shirts whilst enjoying a Christmas braai for lunch at the shelter.
The George Herald’s Lorraine Verhagen was blown away by the generosity of locals, who themselves are experiencing tough times in the current economic climate. "The community made it possible for us to do those wonderful things," said Verhagen after her Christmas adventure where she got to see firsthand the looks on the faces of the less fortunate as they received their unexpected gifts.
Led by the local Fire Brigade, the Provincial Traffic Department and the George Herald, accompanied by some private individuals, arrived in the Syferfontein settlement, located on Olympic Drive near Delville Park, just after 08:15. The young (accompanied by the not so young) came out of nowhere en masse to see what all the noise and fanfare was about, soon participating in the happy vibe exuded by those laden with Christmas presents and wearing jolly hats.
Excited children received their age-specific parcels, juice and sweeties, with moms taking ownership of the packages consisting of baby products especially for their toddlers.
The day also included visits to the George Hospital’s paediatric ward and Bethesda, where Idols winner Elvis Blue was also visiting the three young children confined to the Hospice.
The George Herald management and staff once again thank everyone who made donations towards this project - each and every article made a difference.
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Gifts for everyone! Thanks to the generosity of the George community, each child in Syferfontein received a Christmas present in 2011.
ARTICLE: LEEANNE PRATT, GEORGE HERALD JOURNALIST
