By Lone Lourens | Marketing and Fundraising Manager
With the start of September upon us, the year seems to be flying by. This year is definitely feeling more "normal" than the years since COVID, and even we have been able to lessen our protocols, and all staff now no longer need to wear masks full-time unless we are feeling unwell. We have also had many more visits this year and have even gone on some outings with the residents, which is always exciting and fun-filled. With that being said, we have still had a number of challenges and successes throughout this year.
Load shedding and its impact
Load shedding (the deliberate shutdown of electric power in a part or parts of a power-distribution system) has been actively taking place in South Africa for a number of years, but this year it has been especially challenging. At its worst we faced up to 6 hours of load shedding per day, and this had an effect on productivity, the need to purchase additional diesel for our generator and it adversely affected our electrical DB Boards.
DB Board Repairs and an unexpected surprise
Realising that our DB boards were being adversely affected by the constant load shedding and electrical interruptions due to their age, we decided to do an appeal for funds to do repairs and maintenance to the boards that were the most critically damaged.
In early July we were contacted by HOTcares, which is the CSI branch of the radio station HOT 102.7 FM. They told us that they wanted to try and assist Woodside and came to visit our Sanctuary and talk to us about the challenges that we were experiencing with our DB Boards. We were thrilled when they invited us to be interviewed on HOT 102.7 FM on the 13th of July. During our interview we were hugely surprised when we were told that Hot 102.7 FM and The Dischem Foundation would be sponsoring the funding needed for our DB Board Repairs. (These funds will not be paid to us directly but will be paid to our supplier GMF Electrical for the repairs needed to our DB Boards).
In addition we were also awarded a R5 000 Dischem voucher per month from the Dischem Foundation. This wonderful donation will help greatly in reducing our monthly toiletry and medical expenses.
Upgrading of Our Stimulation Departments
Woodside was awarded funding by one of our donors to help enable us to upgrade our various stimulation departments with special focus on the following;
1. The purchase of necessary equipment for the stimulation centre.
2. The refreshment of necessary equipment for the stimulation centre.
3. Painting of the stimulation centre section, as required.
4. Other needs of the stimulation centre, such as specialized toys etc.
5. The purchase of an inverter for our big TV in the dining room.
We are thrilled to report that this project has been completed and that our stimulation departments are looking better than ever and this incredible kindness has in turn enabled us to be able to further enrich the lives of the angels in our care.
Woodside Sensory Garden
"A sensory garden is a self-contained garden area that allows visitors to enjoy a wide variety of sensory experiences (multi-sensory, touch, taste, smell, see, and hearing). Sensory gardens are designed to provide opportunities to stimulate the senses, both individually and in combination, in ways that users may not usually encounter.”
Woodside is very proud of the variety of stimulation programmes we offer to our residents. However, we feel that there is always more that we can do if we are able to find donors who are willing to assist. One project that Woodside has wanted to do for a number of years now is to create a sensory garden for our residents.
I am very happy to report that on the 20th and 30th of May, the wonderful teams from Deloitte came through to Woodside and built a beautiful new sensory garden for our residents. There are so many wonderful elements in the garden, and it will enable us to add a whole new dimension to our angel’s sensory experiences.
Zoo Outing with the Rotary Club of Johannesburg New Dawn
On the 1st of July, the wonderful members of the New Dawn Rotary club arranged for transport (with the generous assistance of Halfway Toyota Honeydew) and took our residents to the zoo for an outing. In addition to the amazing day out, our residents were also treated to a number of yummy snacks and hot dogs donated by Parkview SPAR. This was a wonderful outing, and the residents enjoyed themselves tremendously.
Visit from Sinethemba Disabilities
On the 15th of July, Woodside received a visit from Sinethemba Disabilities. Sinethemba Disabilities is a group that visits and volunteers at homes that provide care for those with various disabilities. The wonderful group from Sinethemba Disabilities brought various stimulation items to be used in the activities with our residents, and they also brought cupcakes as a yummy snack for the residents. Everyone had a wonderful time.
Buddy Day 2023
Our residents had a wonderful time attending the annual Buddy Day event on the 13th of May 2023, at Le Salle College. This wonderful event, arranged by various Lions Clubs in Johannesburg, is always a highlight for those in our care. This year was especially exciting as it is the first time that we have been able to attend since the start of COVID in 2020.
Nelson Mandela Day 2023
Woodside has not had a full Nelson Mandela Day since COVID, and I am very happy to report that this year we had three groups visit us for their Nelson Mandela Day outreach.
1) Denosa – Had a party with the residents and brought donations of toiletries and cleaning supplies.
2) Papillion Group – Assisted residents with various activities in Physio and the School room. They also brought additional donations of food and non-toxic play dough.
3) NetCare – Watched a movie with the residents and brought custard and jelly for all residents.
Department of Mental Health Audit
Our third audit for this year took place on the morning of August 14, 2023. The audits are conducted by the Department of Mental Health in order to monitor and assist NGOs in our sector. We used to only have one audit per year, but this has changed to four, with our final audit expected to take place in November. Passing our audits is essential for Woodside, as the audits are what determine if we are able to apply for our operating licence each year. All audits through the year so far have gone very well.
Changes at Woodside
Tania Stegmann, Woodside's matron, left our organisation after five years of service because of certain health issues. Sr. Rauletta Maarman, a certified nurse with 41 years of experience, has taken over as woodside's Nursing Services Manager. Woodside is still looking for a Registered Nurse to assist Sr. Maarman.
In Closing
Our primary focus continues and will always be the provision of exceptional full-time care to all of our 85 profoundly intellectually disabled residents, 23 of whom are either orphaned or have no means of financial support (our Angels). The adults and children in our care require lifelong assistance and will never be able to care for themselves or filter into normal society, therefore, this is an ongoing project that will require constant funding to help us ensure that all our residents receive the very best care possible. Woodside Sanctuary is a special place where passion and purposefulness come together to help ensure that those who have been placed in our care are able to grow and develop to reach their full potential.
The GlobalGiving community has helped us raise $11 697 (R217 442.55) towards the Woodside’s Angels project, and we simply cannot thank you enough for your incredible support and generosity. Your generous assistance has helped us to be able to continue to keep Woodside’s residents healthy and cared for by enabling us to provide food, medications, toiletries, a place of safety, holistic care, and stimulation for the 23 profoundly intellectually disabled orphans and vulnerable angels in our care.
Like many non-profit organisations, Woodside Sanctuary is greatly dependent on the kindness and generosity of our donors and supporters. It is only thanks to their kind support that we are able to uphold the highest standards of care and offer all of our residents first-rate nursing, medical, and residential care. We extend our sincere gratitude to our donors and supporters for their exceptional generosity and kindness on behalf of Woodside Sanctuary and, in particular, the angels in our care. We will always be grateful to you for all that you have done to support and help us because of your kindness and compassion, which is what keeps us going. Thank you very much!
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