KNYSNA NEWS - The MG Car Club (MGCC) in Knysna recently got into the driving seat to initiate a project to build new bathrooms for The Living Cornerstone Care Home in Sedgefield, and showed how teamwork can achieve goals.
The home caters for the elderly, many suffering from dementia and whose families are unable to look after them.
It was the brainchild of Gilda Scammel who saw the need, specifically to upgrade the facilities to meet the high standards of the Department of Social Welfare to be recognised as a care home that qualifies for financial support.
The cost of the upgrade was estimated at R78 000.
When the MGCC heard of the need, it agreed to contribute the 2021 and 2022 Hill Climb charity bonus earned by members who control the pits and start line of the annual Simola Hill Climb.
They chose the home as their charity of choice and R41 000 was provided.
According to Dave Jones of the MGCC, they suggested to the Sedgefield Lions and Knysna Rotary Club that this was a worthy cause.
"Rotary joined to put in a further R24 000, the Lions R10 000 and the Rotary Anns the balance needed of R3 000 and work got underway early in 2022," said Jones.
"This remarkable Sedgefield initiative has grown, is now run by a properly constituted board and operates mainly through local fundraising in the Sedgefield community. Thanks to this local support, the home has expanded and recently moved into a proper home which has been refurbished and currently accommodates 10 needy elderly residents.
"But support from the government's Department of Social Welfare is desperately needed to meet the ever-rising costs of running such a home. It was the result of wonderful teamwork that the alterations were completed."
Jones said that Mike Smerdon of Rotary made his expert knowledge available, gave up much of his time and worked closely with Vivian Solomons. "He is owed a particular debt as a favourable audit inspection was recently made by the Department of Social Development, leaving every hope that a grant will be forthcoming once other minor work, like suitable alarms and fire-fighting equipment can be installed."
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