Public’s throw-away plastic works magic
Wheelchair initiative develops traction
So often we are asked to help with this or contribute to that, but we seldom hear what the result of our involvement was or how the particular project is progressing.
The Rep carried a story some time ago about how the Sweethearts Foundation, situated in Johannesburg, who was running a wheelchair project. A wheelchair would be donated to a needy recipient once 450kg of plastic bottle tops or 50kg of bread tags were collected.
Arrangements were made with Pick n Pay at The Mall to utilise their cigarette counter as a collection point and people were asked to hand in their plastic items there. And they did . . . in addition to many individual members of the public, schools – Queen’s Junior in particular – handed in a spectacular number of boxes full of plastic items.
As their contribution to the drive, a courier company fetches the items and transports them to Johannesburg.
All this is still ongoing and it was very gratifying to hear that one of our own, Angi Wienekus, who grew up in Komani, and who was educated at Balmoral and GHS and later taught there, became the beneficiary of a wheelchair in East London last week.
The hand-over function was championed by PNA Stationers at their admin centre and they provided the refreshments for the function and a wonderful, thoughtful goodie bag each for Wienekus’s children, Hannah, 10, and Alex, 6.
Her parents, Bennie and Etti Wienekus, her uncle and aunt, Peter and Julie Bolze from Komani and some of her friends, many of whom are also cancer patients, were present.
This is no ordinary wheelchair – it is custom-designed especially for Wienekus by the people at the oncology unit at Frere Hospital according to her height, weight and needs and is made to be as comfortable as possible, so that even the backrest can be made at just the right angle to suit her.
To date, 13 wheelchairs have been donated in the East London region and they try to give one away every month.
Wienekus’ father, Bennie, told The Rep, “We will never know how to adequately thank everyone. Words can’t express our gratitude.”
In spite of her illness, Wienekus has a scheme to help hospice and appeals to anyone who might have second-hand books, clothing or household items in good condition to donate them so that funds may be raised to help worthy causes.