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Garden Route DM attends ‘CANSA Relay for Life’ and donates R15 100 to the cause

Garden Route District Municipality's CANSA Relay for Life supporters

For the fourth year in a row, Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) has participated in the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA) Relay for Life. Employees from various GRDM Departments worked together to sell sausage rolls, cool drinks, water, pancakes and one employee even set up a photo booth to raise funds for the cause.

The municipality’s comprehension of the importance of corporate social responsibility and compassion for others remain the driving force behind why the municipality attends community-focused events. The employee coordinating the municipality’s CANSA Relay for Life attendance and activities, Human Resources Practitioner Employee Assistance Programme of GRDM, Shandré Abrahams said “We are incredibly thankful for our colleagues volunteering their time, effort and financial resources to take part in this initiative and showing their whole-hearted support towards the CANSA Relay for Life.

Megan Cunningham, Task Administrator said Cancer is an illness that affects many of our relatives and friends, and by supporting this initiative we ensure the continued support to all cancer patients that are assisted by CANSA.” Megan also set up a photo booth at the event to raise funds.

Services rendered and goods sold on the day amounted to a profit of R5 100, which has been paid to CANSA. GRDM Speaker, Cllr Eleanore Bouw-Spies also donated R10 000 from her budget to CANSA.

Speaker Bouw-Spies also committed to continue supporting the ‘Relay for Life’. During her message of support to participants at the event, she explained that although she in attendance on behalf of the District, she was also attending it in her personal capacity. Cllr Bouw-Spies lost a cousin to cancer in 2018 and this year one of her best friends is fighting the battle with cancer.

During her address, she pleaded to the CANSA supporters to support those affected by the illness in any way possible, be it “physically, emotionally or financially.”

“To those who have decided to isolate themselves after being diagnosed with cancer – it cannot be that this approach of dealing with the illness is the best thing to do. We must support those who are going through such a traumatising time – at all costs,” she said. 

In conclusion, Cllr Bouw-Spies shared the following: “For me, this event is symbolic to pushing through the darkness and throughout the toughest hours, reaching out a helping hand, supporting one another, until the darkness turns into light.”

A video of Speaker Eleanore Bouw-Spies during her message of support can be viewed by clicking here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_OUayreRNE

SAMEVATTING IN AFRIKAANS

Garden Route Distriksmunisipaliteit het vanjaar vir ‘n vierde keer aan die ‘KANSA Relay for Life’ deelgeneem. Die munisipaliteit het R5 100 ingesamel tydens die program, wat die groottotaal van fondse bedoel vir kankernavorsing bring tot op R15 100. GRDM amptenare het worsrolletjies, koeldranke en water tydens die program verkoop. Een amptenaar het ‘n foto-hoekie opgestel wat gehelp het met addisionele fondsinsameling.

Speaker van GRDM, Raadslid Eleanore Bouw-Spies, het die program bygewoon en ‘n boodskap van ondersteuning oorgedra aan deelnemers en gaste.   Rdl. Bouw-Spies het verlede jaar ‘n familielid verloor aan kanker, en tans veg een van haar beste vriendinne die stryd teen kanker. Sy het ‘n pleidooi gelewer dat familie en vriende kankerleiers finansieel, emosioneel of fisies moet ondersteun en dat daar nie toegelaat moet word dat enige kankerleier in isolasie moet verkeer nie. Vriende en familie moet kankerleiers tydens elke stap van die stryd ondersteun.

The group of Garden Route District Municipality employees who took part in the CANSA Relay for Life in George.
Megan Cunningham (GRDM TASK Administrator) takes a photo of the Bouw-Spies family, fLTR: Cllr Rowan Spies (Garden Route DM Portfolio Chairperson, Roads Services), Elrin Bouw-Spies, Lendell Bouw-Spies and Cllr Eleanore Bouw-Spies (Garden Route DM Speaker and Knysna Ward 5 Councillor).
Nocwaka Ndabeni, GRDM Disaster Management Intern, is to thank for the sales of sausage rolls and drinks because of her carnival dance moves and sales pitches to participants at the event.
: Lizelle Uithaler (Personal Assistant to the Deputy Executive Mayor of GRDM), Cllr Eleanore Bouw-Spies (GRDM Speaker), Ayvah Saayman, Ilse Saayman (GRDM Manager: Performance Management) and Elrin Bouw-Spies.