SEDGEFIELD NEWS - Knysna Tourism (Sedgefield division) invited locals to reach out and make someone smile this festive season. 

The Sedgefield area, which include Karatara and Fairview, have children that do not always get seen by mainstream funding and initiatives, and so locals were asked to get on board to make these kids' Christmas season a little brighter.

For the fifth year in a row we asked locals to visit our office to adopt a family and make a pledge to spoil them just a little this season. 

Each year we try to use different children.

With the help of Masithandane and the Department of Social Development we preselected 37 of these local families who have had a rough 2017. 

Then the community agreed to buy an age-appropriate gift for the children of that family. 

They also provided a food hamper for the guardians of those kids. 

They only needed to drop these goods at our office by 5 December and we delivered them on their behalf as we keep these families' anonymity. 

This year we are able to add more Santa shoeboxes thanks to Dee Roberts and Barbara Stedman.

Sedgefield's tourism office, along with a caregiver from Masithandane, delivered all these parcels on 11 December. 

We wish those who pledged had the pleasure of seeing the smiles on these children’s faces and the tears in the eyes of those who care for them. 

Thank you for your generosity and may all be richly blessed this festive season.

We hope to continue this project in December 2018.

Belinda Hobson from the Sedgefield office of Knysna Tourism (left) with councillor Levael Davis, Dover on Sea owner Karen van der Walt and one of the little recipients (who may not be identified). Photo: Supplied

Excitement all round as children from needy families receive Christmas presents on 11 December.

The children may not be identified, but their donors can rest assured that it was all smiles when they received their gifts.

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