Gallery Update
KNYSNA NEWS - Crowds at Woodmill Lane were wowed by Tarryn Lamb on Saturday 16 September, when R1-million raised by a Classics is Groot benefit concert in Pretoria on 24 June, staged especially for Knysna fire victims, was handed over.
What makes this donation even more significant is that it is an injection into the Knysna economy, allowing individuals and businesses who lost their income-generating ability to take time and focus on rebuilding, rather than worrying where their next paycheck would come from, or how to replace tools or equipment.
Lamb is the lead singer of the award-winning Capetonian band BlackByrd, and also plays the character of Kim in the popular KykNET soapie Suidoosters.
After having been warmly welcomed by mayor Eleanore Bouw-Spies, Classics is Groot producer and creative director Barry Pretorius explained that two weeks before the performance of the sold-out concert, which was held in the 7 000-seater Moreleta Auditorium in Pretoria, disaster struck Knysna.
This touched him even more as two of his colleagues have family in the hard-hit Brenton-on-Sea area.
They immediately started the process of launching an additional show, with the proceeds to go to the fire victims. Each artist, crew member and everybody involved in the production donated their time, skills, artistry and service free of charge. Some 6 000 tickets were sold and R1-million was raised.
Said Pretorius, “From the outset, the decision was taken to invest in and donate to individuals and local companies, after having met with them, to see how we can help them and their employees dependent on them, to get back on their feet.”
Donations roll in
• Donations included R200 000 to the Rheenendal fire management unit, whose volunteers battled the fires continuously throughout the period, which will be appropriated towards equipment;
• Timber Village, which was destroyed in the fires, received R180 000 to fund the salaries of the 14 staff members for the next three months.
• Among other people assisted were disabled Manie Rademeyer, who restores old cars, employ locals and had moved to his daughter's farm two weeks before the fire and lost all his tools and equipment. These were repurchased for R63 841.
• Brain Handel and Pauline Terblans, whose maintenance and repair business was wiped out, had their tools replaced for R51 290 as were the tools and equipment of Lorenus and Simone Terblanche, whose staff contingent of eight were facing retrenchment. The replacement value of their equipment amounted to R72 479.
• To enable him to resume his business, Carmic Malindi, woodwork and skills development teacher who was based in Timber Village, received tools and equipment to the value of R63 044.
• In addition to these, Jarryd McLean received R28 354 towards getting his business back on its feet, and Heinz Kramer received R34 356 towards rebuilding his business.
• Several other donations were also made but the recipients of these chose not to have their names made public.
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School, church benefit
• In addition to these and others, the team had been taken to Elandskraal, where a preprimary school and church had been obliterated by the fire. The cost of rebuilding has been estimated to be R900 000. The Classics is Groot team donated R200 000 towards the rebuild and Pretorius issued a challenge to all CEOs of companies and establishments in South Africa to "not only reach into their pockets to service a dire need and make a difference, but also to come to Knysna to meet the individuals concerned, because it is the right thing to do".
After this challenge, CEO of Laeveld Agrochem, Corne Liebenberg, who was at the handover, immediately pledged R100 000.
Pretorius ended by promising that they would be back with the funds and building materials needed within six months. He further pledged that those local companies and individuals who had their tools and equipment replaced would be employed to do the rebuilding work of the preprimary school and church.
Read a previous article: R1m handover to fire victims
ARTICLE: STEFAN GOOSEN AND JULIE JEFFERYS, KNYSNA-PLETT HERALD
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