New year, and a new editor... Last week's news, Eddie from the Salvation Army and Mandela Day Rosebank Rotary Initiative

Last Week

Well folks, I cannot tell a lie, the new Ramble editor is a tad nervous of taking over from a pro like Peter James-Smith, and it will more than likely take me a few weeks to get into the swing of things, but there is nothing like a new challenge in life, so I will certainly do my best. And thank you Peter for your patience in showing me the ropes. Please bear with me for a week or two while I iron out the teething problems.

Friday the 3rd of July was President Ann's first official meeting, and is it not Murphy's Law that the techno-gremlins decided to strike that day. But our President took it in her stride, and long before short we were up and running.

Before our speaker Eddie de Vos from the Salvation Army took the stage, Jeannette (via Costa Qually), who liaises with the Angel Network, sent out the following plea for assistance.

They were notified of a devastating fire in Alex which destroyed over 200 shacks and left more than 1000 souls without a roof over their heads. They are desperate to get them fed, clothed and re-established ASAP. They are in need of blankets, bedding, pots and pans, clothing and non-perishable food.

I have been in touch with Glynn, one of the Angels, and will be delivering items already collected to her on Tuesday morning. Please contact myself or Ann should you wish to assist in any way.

Talk by past member Eddie de Vos of the Salvation Army

Eddie de Vos gave us a very sobering and thought-provoking account of the daily challenges he and his wife Hazel are faced with in their capacity as the administrators of the Beth Rogelim Men's Home in the very heart of the Cape Town City Bowl. The perfect setting belies the squalor they encountered when they took over this mammoth task two years ago.

Beth Rogelim Men's Home

The home had become a drop-off place and night shelter for the destitute of society. There was a general feeling of apathy, negativity and low self-esteem, which was reflected in lacking personal hygiene and unkempt surroundings.

Their first task was to give the 7 story building a face-lift to the tune of R500 000, then bring the run-away expenses under control and institute some strict rules that the men had to adhere to, such as daily showers and fresh clothes, weekly change of bedding, smoking ban in the bedrooms and instant expulsion for drug use.

They also had to get the Department of Health to rehouse nearly 30 mental health patients.

The 3 programs that they offer are:

1) Assisted living for older men, where said men receive a small grant
2) Low income earners, and
3) Victims of human trafficking. Eddie tells of 10 men that they took on that had been forced to work on a Korean boat under the most appalling conditions.

The cost of a room, ablutions and three meals a day (which are thanks to daily food donations from Woollies) and DSTV will cost the men between R2 500 and R4 000 a month. 

It goes without saying that a huge part of Eddie and Hazel's purpose is the spiritual upliftment of these men, and as Eddie so humbly put it, he feels that they were placed there to make a difference.

Mandela Day Rosebank Rotary Initiative

In  President Ann's letter she highlights Mandela Day, but the consensus is that we are going to declare this Mandela Month.

And in tribute to our Paul Harris recipient please let us all support his very worthy cause.

No doubt you have all clicked into the page we specifically created for him and are well aware of his feeding program. We get so many questions: "What do you need?" So  Please see below an idea of what the food parcels contain, and any of these items would be greatly appreciated.

Let either Ann (cell phone number 082 570 6627) or Sybille (082 601 0180) know, and we will happily collect or drop off with them.

 

     

Monetary donations may be deposited into:

Rotary Club of Rosebank Project Account

Nedbank

Sandton City

Account    1145999336

Branch      197005 

Rotary International 2020 Convention

For most people it would have been an unattainable dream to attend this year's convention in Honolulu, and although Covid 19 has dashed many travel dreams, every Rotary member in the World had the opportunity through the power of technology to attend this year's event.

Rotary's first virtual convention