What does it mean to be a part of a community? As separate beings, it is easy for us to fall into the trap of our own bubble. We all struggle from time to time. However, sometimes it is easy for us to forget that there are those around us who could use a little help. In addition, more importantly that we are the ones that are able to provide that help.
Happiness does not always come from what we give ourselves. It is not always about a day at the spa, going out for a drink, or staying under the covers all day. Joy does not always come from things that will benefit us somehow. A crucial part of happiness, that is sometimes forgotten, is what we can do for others. What can we give of ourselves that can benefit someone in need? Do you perhaps have a little time to spare? Can you pass something on that you no longer need but someone else might? Could you provide a little food, warmth, a necessity or two? Could you even just stop for a moment to help give someone direction?
Kindness can be as much as just lending a hand… or an ear.
At John Graham, one particular teacher has been dedicated to making this difference. Since 2009, Mrs Lodewyk has been striving towards helping our JGPS family make a difference in our community. Mrs Lodewyk started the Care Group in 2009 when she realised that we, as a school, could do our part in assisting our community. We get to help those in need whilst instilling important life values in our children. We have the opportunity to teach them that you can give without expecting anything in return. Moreover, that it feels good to do so.
The Hands and Hearts Behind our Care Group
Our Care Group that works alongside Mrs Lodewyk consists of Mrs Harris, Mrs Lakay, Ms Coldrey, and Ms Schulenburg. Behind the scenes, Mrs Lakay meticulously does the packaging and labelling of goods that are distributed to various organisations. During a drive, we have a list of recipients whom we send donations too. The list can change depending on the need of the drive. Over the past three years, with the gracious assistance of one of our parents, Tiger Brands have been sponsoring various drives by donating all sorts of non-perishable food items and donated generously to our Term 3 Bread Drive. If necessary, teaching staff will get involved by dropping off donations. Occasionally, we drop off donations that cannot be picked up by the organisations. This year our drives, in order of the terms, included the Easter Egg Drive, Beanie Drive, Bread Drive, and the Support Staff hampers.
At the beginning of each term, the Care Group will meet to decide on which drive will take place. The Easter egg drive in Term 1 or 2 (depending on which term Easter falls) and then our Support Staff drive are our annual drives. In the fourth term, learners donate all sorts of non-perishable food items as well as some treats for our support staff who all get a food hamper at the end of the year.
Mrs Lodewyk (Right) with Mrs Harris (Left) having just received a bread donation for the Bread Drive
How the Care Group has helped its Community
Our JGPS Family also have something called an Angel Box which is just a little something either from our staff to a staff member or from a class to a specific learner and their family. These angel boxes consist of anything that someone would like to give to the person receiving the box, whether it be food/snacks, a small gift, or maybe something thoughtful. Angel boxes are usually given to a person and their family when something unfortunate has happened to them, for example they may have been in an accident or on the other hand they may have gone in for a life changing surgery and we will put a box together as a good luck/get well soon gift.
In 2019, one of the learners in Mrs Lodewyk’s class house had burnt down and the Grade 4’s donated a variety of things such as clothing, food items, and bedding to the family.
In 2015, a few homes were burnt down in the Hangberg Community in Hout Bay and the learners at JGPS donated clothing, shoes, bedding, and children’s books.
In the past, we have also done our part for our non-human community members by donating things such as pet food to Plum Pets around the corner from us. The Care-Group and the Eco-Club have spoken about joining some drives but due to Covid-19, activities have been restricted. We hope to revisit this idea in the near future. Another future drive we would like to pursue is a drive for Women’s Month where we provide toiletry packs.
Easter Egg Collection
Bread & Jam Donations from Tiger Brands
A few of the drives and organisations we’ve worked with throughout the years include the following:
⦁ Ons Plek – Donated Toiletries
⦁ Clothing drives – Salvation Army/Hospice
⦁ Weekly Sandwich Drive
⦁ Easter Eggs – Day Hospitals/Victoria Hospital/Farm school/Old age home /LOFOB/Wynberg shelter/ Helen Keller Care Centre/ Hout Bay Educare.
⦁ Wynberg shelter – Coin collection
⦁ Lotus River Old aged home – Tea
⦁ Diep River Police – St Luke’s Drive
⦁ Tygerberg Hospital School – High Tea
⦁ Farm School – Sandwiches/resources
⦁ Capricorn Park crèche – Plastic tables and chairs and educational resources
⦁ Wheelchair Drive – Collecting bottle tops
⦁ Grassy Park Centre – Home for the Mentally & Intellectually Challenged – Non-perishable Foods/Easter Eggs
⦁ Thula Baba – Beanies
⦁ Plum Pets – Monetary donation/pet food / newspaper
⦁ Bread Drive – Bread was donated to Where Rainbow Meet/Ottery Soup Kitchen/Tokai Ladies
⦁ JGPS In-house – family groceries/fire victims/angel boxes
⦁ LOFOB – Blind Buddy stickers
⦁ Term 4 annual drive – Support staff hamper
Where Rainbows Meet receiving some of their bread donations from our Bread Drive
The Impact of the Care Group on both Learners and Staff Alike
How has being a part of the CG changed or affected you as an individual? In addition, has the CG affected your loved ones in terms of them getting involved as well?
It is a wonderful feeling to be able to help those less fortunate and to see how grateful and happy they are to receive the various items.
My mom is actively involved in the community of Hout Bay and informed me of the fire victims and the crèche in Hangberg. That is when I approached the Care-Group and Mrs Lodewyk happily assisted.
My family gets involved as much as they can. We support the CG drives but it is not something that we advertise. The CG is about giving and not expecting anything in return.
How do you think the CG has affected/changed the learners and the families who get involved? (If you have, any stories please feel free to add them.)
Our learners continue the giving/donating spirit once they leave JGPS. Currently the head of service at Wynberg Girls High School, Jenna Morgan Morton (Gr 12) was part of the Care-Group and has done exceptionally well with outreach at the campus.
Do you think it has an impact on the character of the learners who participate or even just the learners who witness the charity that the CG provides? If so, in what way?
Yes, it does, in conversation; learners often speak about how excited they are to give something big or small towards a drive. Some learners are exposed to charity drives from home – church/mosque/ community events.
How has the CG affected the community?
We are able to share the little we give and make a difference to the community in the form of a smile/fill a tummy/create awareness that we are people who care.
Special thanks to Mrs Lodewyk for helping us write this blog by providing us with the necessary information.
