On Friday evening, 13 August, we prepared ourselves by creating hats with recycled products like newspaper, bottle caps and cardboard. This was all for our community project on the Saturday. We also packed goody-bags for the children that will arrive from two centers to take part in this day.

We started our journey, on a very cold Saturday morning, not knowing what the day will entail. Arriving at the Botanical Gardens in Pretoria just after 6h30, we were met by Karen Hauptfleisch of SOAPkids and started unpacking.

The children from two centers, namely Injabula Community Centre and Kidicor arrived and each one was registered and received a t-shirt and hat.

They were divided into groups and we played several games before the groups started a tour of the Botanical Gardens. They were shown different plant and animal species that live in the Gardens. The importance of this day was making the children aware of taking care of nature by keeping the environment clean and healthy. This starts with oneself, by respecting nature and others.

After the groups finished the walk, we played some more games with them. The games were intended that the children learn self-respect and respect for others. Ordinary games were played and the children enjoyed themselves! After lunch the groups had to create a “war-cry”. This was so much fun! The children had very funny ideas and eventually it all came together and the prize was handed to the team with the best war-cry.

The day was such a big success and before the groups left, we handed them each a goody-bag filled with sweets from us, the Volunteers. We made new friends and as we left the Gardens, realized how blessed we are to have everything “normal”.

The Organ Donor Association hosted the event and we were also given t-shirts with catchy phrases like “don’t take your organs to Heaven, heaven knows we need them on Earth”.

We were participating in this community project as part of one of our school subjects. We are in grade 10 and attend Hoërskool Eldoraigne in Centurion. This was an opportunity to be part of an environmental day and we were also, yet again, made aware of how important recycling is as it protects the environment.

This was a fun filled and education day for all of us and we hope to participate in something similar soon!

Thank you for giving us the opportunity to be Volunteers!

Martinique, Charlize, Esmarie, Shaun, Hilde and Taylor

SOAPkidz have once again been invited by the Organ donor foundation to partake in their Organ Donor walk the 14th of August 2010 at the Botanical Gardens, Pretoria.

Since the preservation of nature is something that lies very dear to the heart of each and every person involved with SOAPkidz, we are determined to make this, another great success story for nature as well as the children involved.

50 Children from various children‘s homes will be invited to participate in the event. They will be divided into teams for a whole morning of excitement. Besides the hike, various environmental activities will be presented.

Program:
7h00 – 08h00: Children arrive and are divided into teams
08h00 – 10h00: Hike and teambuilding
10h00 – 10h15: Organ Donor talk
10h15 – 13h00: Environmental activities

Please contact Karen at 083 975 2700 if you can assist or sponsor food or snacks.