Spar hosted three beneficiaries at their golf day bonanza, The event raised some good money and Spar surprised each charity with a big donation.
Spar hosts an annual charity golf day, this year they celebrated their 22nd event. The three charities chosen to be supported by the event were Love Story, Smile Foundation and Wings and Wishes.
The Smile Foundation is a South African non-governmental organisation with a comprehensive health care vision for children living with facial conditions. Smile Foundation together with the country’s Academic Hospitals work together to put the smile back onto children’s faces with corrective facial reconstructive surgery and treatments.
Love Story is an organisation with feeding schemes in Port Elizabeth, they also work with community upliftment, early childhood development and distribution of clothing and toys at hospitals.
Wings and Wishes is an organisation that helps critically ill children by transporting them and an accompanying adult to the Red Cross Children’s Hospital in Cape Town, or an alternative appropriate medical facility, for treatment.
“After they had each received a generous amount of R35 000, beneficiary representatives of Love Story, Smile Foundation and Wings and Wishes were left staggered when the SPAR head office in Durban doubled the amount to R70 000 each.”
The announcement about the extra donation was made by group housebrands manager Graham Claassens. Graham was the one who suggested the start of the golf day 22 years ago.
“These organisations are truly selfless in supporting those in need and it is an honour to support them.” – SPAR EC marketing director Abri Swart
Tanya Jackson, the representative at the event for the Smile Foundation was overjoyed by the generous donation. The funds will be used to cover the various needs of children with facial conditions – including surgery, transport and consumables. It will also be used to train surgeons countrywide.
“SPAR have supported us over a number of years through visiting our Smile Week at the Provincial Hospital and by assisting us at the River Mile, this is the first time we have been involved with the golf day and we are very excited about that.”
Ryan le Roux, the representative at the event for Love Story was amazed by the donation. The donation will make sure the homeless and the needy are fed, supplying around 45 000 meals a month across 20 to 25 soup kitchens in the metro.
“This sort of contribution helps us to distribute more food parcels and to impact more people. We just could not achieve what we do without the support of organisations like SPAR, who do a lot more for us than just this golf day.”
Inge Human, the manager for Wings and Wishes said the support from Spar has been incredible.
“We never say no to a child who needs critical surgery and, as you can understand, flights can get expensive because we always cater for a child and a parent. This sort of support just enables us to help more people in need of assistance. It’s tough for non-government agencies out there and this is wonderful support. We are very grateful to SPAR Eastern Cape for this opportunity.”
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