December 2012 - The Potato Foundation
December 2012 - The Potato Foundation
December 2012 - The Potato Foundation
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potato news<br />
ISSUE TWENTY: CHRISTMAS EDITION <strong>2012</strong>
From our office<br />
We started this year with a heavy heart. Financially it was<br />
very difficult for us to go ahead and we wondered how<br />
we’re going to make projects work and pay salaries. We were<br />
forced to notify staff that they could only be employed on<br />
a month to month basis because of our finances that could<br />
dry up at any moment and if that happened, we would have<br />
to close our doors. Personally, it was very hard on us because<br />
how do you let go of someone for whom you care? People<br />
and children with whom you have bonded with over many<br />
years.<br />
We sat at the Lord’s feet and He showed us that we must<br />
keep our heads down and continue with what we are doing,<br />
to the best of our abilities. He will take care of the rest. It was<br />
a point of total surrender. Everything was in His hands.<br />
When we look back now in <strong>December</strong>, tears fill our eyes.<br />
He not only provided, he has provided in abundance! Every<br />
project we started, He made even bigger. Our <strong>December</strong><br />
month parcels were at 28 parcels two years ago, 64 last<br />
year and 115 this year! We have started a kitchen this year,<br />
where in previous years it wasn’t possible. We reached more<br />
children this year than ever before. We received a car as a<br />
donation! We could also tackle more projects this year. He<br />
has sent wonderful staff and volunteers like you our way –<br />
earthly ANGELS!<br />
Our wish for you this Christmas season is that you totally<br />
surrender to Him. May you experience His presence. In the<br />
words of Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,”<br />
declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm<br />
you, plans to give you hope and a future”.<br />
Thanks WONDERFUL volunteer for everything you did for us.<br />
You made the difference. Hold on because 2013 will be an<br />
even bigger year!!!<br />
Love<br />
<strong>Potato</strong> Management Team<br />
“Greater things are yet to come and<br />
Greater things are still to be done in<br />
this city….” Chris Tomlin
Schoolbag project –<br />
A success!<br />
Thank you to every volunteer, donor and generous heart who made<br />
a donation or contributed to helping make the school bag project a<br />
success. We handed out a total of 141 suitcases with stationery to EVERY<br />
Grade R in our programme.<br />
Our hearts overflow with gratitude because without you it would have<br />
been impossible! Where the children would have gone to school with<br />
a shopping bag you have given them dignity to enter big school with a<br />
proud heart. Just look at the pictures to see what an impact you made.<br />
Vos Centre Concert and Graduation<br />
ceremonies<br />
Thank you to every project who<br />
invited us to their graduation! We<br />
enjoyed it very much.<br />
At Vos center Deo-Dané, our youth<br />
worker, helped the Grade R class<br />
with their closing concert and the<br />
children blossomed on stage in<br />
front of their parents.<br />
We were also invited to attend<br />
the graduation of Wonders of His<br />
Grace. We are treated as hosts<br />
and with big congratulations the<br />
certificates were handed over to<br />
the children who are now officially<br />
ready for the big school.<br />
At Eldaah <strong>Foundation</strong> in Ga-<br />
Rankuwa we delivered suitcases<br />
to every Grade R learner. It was a<br />
wet and cold Saturday morning,<br />
but the children’s faces were more<br />
than enough to make one warm<br />
inside. <strong>The</strong>re is so much effort<br />
made to make us feel that we are<br />
appreciated by them. It touched<br />
our hearts deeply that they did it<br />
with so much enthusiasm. <strong>The</strong>ir<br />
humbleness and appreciation are<br />
one for the books, something we<br />
can always look back to and learn<br />
from.<br />
We look forward to Blessings<br />
Creche and Orphange Centre’s<br />
graduation this coming Saturday<br />
where every Grade R learner will<br />
also receive a school bag.
Grade 7 <strong>Potato</strong> Kidz Project: A storybook ending<br />
Our organisation focuses much on teaching<br />
children to have empathy with each other<br />
no matter what their backgrounds are. By<br />
learning to stand in another’s shoes and<br />
look at that person in love a child WILL make<br />
a difference in the world. <strong>The</strong> greatest gift<br />
you can give a child is to teach him to GIVE!<br />
So every year we aim not only to address the<br />
children in our programmes’ physical and<br />
spiritual needs but that they also learn from<br />
our actions to serve.<br />
This year was no exception and we<br />
challenged our Grade 7s to make a<br />
difference in someone’s life.<br />
This was the best project that we have<br />
worked on so far! <strong>The</strong> Grade 7 Group of<br />
Primary School General Beyers and Primary<br />
School Westerlig was filled with so many<br />
ideas, energy, enthusiasm, passionate<br />
representation, outside the box leadership<br />
qualities and adventure. We have tackled<br />
this project with both parties unsure as to<br />
how we were going to get it right, but with a<br />
proud heart, we can say that this project was<br />
a HUGE success.<br />
We started by presenting projects to<br />
our Grade 7s and they chose to make a<br />
difference in Anna van Heerden’s life. She<br />
has “cerebal palsy”. <strong>The</strong>y decided to assist her<br />
mother with her medical expenses after she<br />
recently had to go through a painful surgery.<br />
<strong>The</strong> children started with enthusiasm and<br />
began fundraising projects at their schools<br />
to raise money for Anna’s medical costs.<br />
Projects were cake sales, dance nights and<br />
movie nights to improve this little girl’s<br />
quality of life. <strong>The</strong> Grade 7 pupils worked<br />
VERY hard to give this storybook tale a nice<br />
ending.<br />
And what a fairytale ending it was. <strong>The</strong>y<br />
were taken to the State <strong>The</strong>atre for a<br />
performance (Galaxy Beyond Imagination)<br />
for their Grade 7 Project closure and handed<br />
over the money they collected, R5 500, to<br />
Anna and her mother.<br />
Our wish is that these children take the gift<br />
to GIVE with them to the next stage in their<br />
lives, namely the high school.<br />
We look forward to the new group of Grade<br />
7s coming our way next year. Watch our<br />
story book, so you can see how you can be<br />
part of a chapter in an unforgettable story.
Firestation outing<br />
This saying immediately made us think<br />
of the firemen of South Africa. After this<br />
trip, we take our hats off to every man and<br />
woman in the fire brigades who are willing<br />
to put their own lives in danger to save other<br />
people’s lives. <strong>The</strong> nicest feature that stood<br />
out for us was the fact that through all these<br />
experiences and events they are still willing<br />
to serve the children of South Africa with<br />
love and a smile.<br />
It was an absolute pleasure for the children<br />
of Wonders of His Grace and Nea Nursery to<br />
go to the fire stations in Pretoria. With great<br />
excitement we all took the children safely<br />
to the different fire stations, where we were<br />
welcomed kindly by the firemen of South<br />
Africa. <strong>The</strong> children’s eyes were very big and<br />
they looked in wonder at the big red fire<br />
trucks, “jaws of life”, fire extinguisher, red<br />
lights and equipment. <strong>The</strong> firemen were very<br />
friendly with the little kids and went out of<br />
their way to make the day special for<br />
each one.<br />
What did the firemen teach the children on<br />
this unforgettable outing? <strong>The</strong> emergency<br />
number if there is a fire is 10177, how<br />
the equipment works, each learner had a<br />
chance to handle the heavy fire hose and<br />
they enjoyed it very much, how they rescue<br />
people from accidents and then of course<br />
how the fire truck’s sirens sound. It was a fun<br />
outing and left a good feeling in our hearts<br />
when we saw how much the kids enjoyed it.<br />
Thanks to each volunteer who helped and<br />
also to Intentional Living for supplying the<br />
wonderful food parcels for the children.
Baby shower<br />
We held a baby shower on Saturday, 17<br />
November <strong>2012</strong> for PATIENCE, one of<br />
our Grade R teachers at Wonders of His<br />
Grace. What a nice baby shower where<br />
the mommy’s heart was overflowing with<br />
gratitude. We gave all the glory to Jesus with<br />
the knowledge that this child is a gift from<br />
Him. Thank you to every person who has<br />
given a gift and something to eat to make<br />
this baby shower as special as possible for<br />
Patience. We had very nice cakes, lasagne,<br />
savoury treats and cupcakes.<br />
Food from Heaven<br />
Kitchen<br />
On 1 June <strong>2012</strong>, we began our food kitchen<br />
at Primary School General Beyers. It is<br />
literally “Food from Heaven”. We want to<br />
thank every volunteer who contributed! We<br />
hope you realise the impact an extra (and<br />
for many the only) meal can make in a child’s<br />
life. Not only are they not hungry all the time<br />
but they can also perform better at school.<br />
On 15 November <strong>2012</strong>, we prepared a<br />
Christmas dinner for them and decorated<br />
the tables beautifully. MES’ drama group<br />
performed a stage play for children which<br />
they could watch while they ate. At the<br />
end of the meal, each child also received a<br />
Christmas present and a candy bag that he<br />
or she could take home. Thank you to all our<br />
volunteers who made the day possible.<br />
Month Parcels<br />
Four years ago, we found that although<br />
children in schools may be in a nutrition<br />
program, a problem sets in when the<br />
children go home on weekends and<br />
holidays. If there is not food at home, where<br />
will the food come from?<br />
Every year for the past four years, we have<br />
tried to give needy families a month supply<br />
of food parcels in <strong>December</strong>. <strong>December</strong> is<br />
a tough month because businesses and<br />
charities that may otherwise have looked<br />
after the families closes during this time.<br />
This month was like a small wave that<br />
formed somewhere on the sea and then<br />
broke ... at the right time like a powerful<br />
wave on the beach.<br />
In the beginning of November <strong>2012</strong>, there<br />
was almost no sign of any food parcel<br />
donations. It was nail-biting and we were<br />
on our knees asking God for guidance<br />
and assistance so that He would provide.<br />
<strong>The</strong> parcels came slowly and today we can<br />
provide food parcels for 115 families. <strong>The</strong><br />
most ever in our history!<br />
With every handing out of a parcel, there<br />
was a warm feeling in our hearts. Individuals,<br />
Bible study groups, children (the wonderful<br />
group of Cornwall Hill) and large businesses<br />
helped in enabling us to care for so many<br />
families. Thanks to each volunteer who<br />
sponsored a month parcel, or made up one,<br />
or help to make the parcels.<br />
Our gratitude to our Heavenly Father who<br />
provided! Again “Food from Heaven”!!!
Thanks for the<br />
help with Katelyn<br />
Venter!<br />
Last month, we introduced you to a little<br />
fighter. It is a privilege for us to say thank<br />
you to every donor and volunteer, who<br />
made it possible so that Katelyn could get<br />
a new feeding tube. One of our volunteers<br />
also offered her services as an occupational<br />
therapist at a minimal rate. Thanks to all<br />
who help this little girl and her parents.<br />
We also say congratulations to Katelyn who<br />
turned 1 year old on <strong>December</strong> 1.<br />
Thanks Radio Pulpit!<br />
This year Radio Pulpit adopted us as one<br />
of their Christmas projects. <strong>The</strong>y not only<br />
made a financial contribution but also<br />
jumped in and devoted their time to make<br />
up and hand out packets.<br />
A handful of our Grade 7s challenged<br />
other children over the air at Radio Pulpit<br />
to make a difference to someone’s life this<br />
Christmas season.<br />
Thank you to all the staff of Radio Pulpit<br />
who made us and the children feel so<br />
welcome. Please listen to Radio Pulpit<br />
and support them because they have<br />
wonderful caring hearts. Listen to AM 657<br />
to get daily spiritual food for thought!<br />
Arts week<br />
During the last week of November <strong>2012</strong><br />
our grade R learners of Vos Centre made<br />
artworks for our art week. We invited the<br />
writer of the book “Die Huis van die Goeie<br />
Burger”, Uncle Mervin Woodrow which we<br />
dealt with through the year, to come to our<br />
children’s exhibits and see how they have<br />
learned from his book. With sticks, leaves,<br />
cotton and sugar the learners made their<br />
houses feel like art scultures.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y all sat in anticipation waiting for Uncle<br />
Mervin early. He asked them what every part<br />
of the house meant and with anticipation<br />
we listened to the students answering with<br />
honesty and excitement. <strong>The</strong>y sang songs<br />
for him, prayed and performed a concert.<br />
<strong>The</strong>n everyone received something nice to<br />
eat and gave Uncle Mervin a hug.<br />
We want to thank Uncle Mervin for sharing<br />
the day with us and that he helped us to use<br />
this book at our projects this year.
Feedback from our<br />
projects<br />
Wonder of His Grace<br />
“We the staff of Wonders Of His Grace Pre-School And Day Care<br />
Centre would like to thank <strong>The</strong> <strong>Potato</strong> <strong>Foundation</strong> for all the love<br />
and care we have received ever since we became part of you and<br />
also thank you very much for being there for us in our times of<br />
need. Thank you for our teacher’s baby shower (Tr. Patience) and<br />
we thank God that she gave birth to a baby boy.<br />
We really appreciate and adore your support to us. WE LOVE YOU<br />
AND STAY BLESSED.”<br />
Eldaa <strong>Foundation</strong><br />
“Good morning ma, thank you so much for doing us the honor to<br />
send us representative. It was good having around and thank you<br />
for our gift from everyone of us especially the parents are happy<br />
for not only the bags but everything ure doing in your capacity for<br />
us and all the children out there. God bless you abundantly”<br />
Josephine: Eldaa <strong>Foundation</strong><br />
Thank you<br />
• Intentional Living: Mari<br />
Wasserman, Ej leach,<br />
Chantelle Du Preez, Candice<br />
hunt<br />
• SchalkOosthuizen<br />
• Werner Heenop<br />
• P.BierBusse<br />
• Nande Jansen van Vuuren<br />
• JoaneBezuidenhoudt<br />
• Gerhard Viljoen<br />
• Lana en Stan Rademan<br />
• Samuel Oosthuizen<br />
• MokgadiLehong<br />
• Trudie Coetzee<br />
• CorliWinterboer<br />
• Christo Pretorius<br />
• Allen Baatsen<br />
• Gerda en Cornelius Cloete<br />
• Johan Breughem<br />
• Willie Kleynhans<br />
• Jennifer Wilken<br />
• Jacques Nel<br />
• MartilieBakker<br />
• Yolandie Hoffmann<br />
• AndréLubbe&personeel/<br />
personnel<br />
• EdithPilane<br />
• JeanVisser<br />
• Christo Kruger<br />
(EnkeldebochBoerdery<br />
Dendron)<br />
• Koos Van Amstel<br />
(XHRS Invest Vivo)<br />
• Issie Pretorius (Alldays)<br />
• Christo Pretorius<br />
• Jolandi de Munnik<br />
• Delhia&BassilFernie<br />
(House Jerome)<br />
• Chinese School<br />
• MareletMoolman<br />
• Dr Gerhard en/and<br />
Rose-MariePosthumus<br />
• Letsie van der Bank<br />
• Burt<br />
Lamprecht&selgroep<br />
• Amelia Pretorius en<br />
IEMAS<br />
• Izel<br />
• RianTruter<br />
• IlseGanz<br />
• Chantell Burger<br />
• Delf Engineering<br />
• Lucinda E Jooste en<br />
Selgroep<br />
• JacoAdendorf<br />
• Corrie Du Plessis<br />
• Gertru Eloff<br />
• Angelique Robbertse<br />
en Jobmailpersoneel/<br />
personnel<br />
• Elizma Frits<br />
• Marius en<br />
ElmarieLombaardt<br />
• HanmarieKunneke<br />
• Pieter Greyling<br />
• Hylet Erasmus<br />
• Carien Coetzee<br />
• Leonie McManus<br />
• SarelSalm<br />
• Merlyn Enslin<br />
• Girls from Cornwall Hill<br />
College<br />
• Lurinda Els<br />
• Tanya Heyman<br />
• Magda Pieterse<br />
• Dalané Du Plessis
• Gert du Plessis<br />
• Mardonette Gibson<br />
• Gerda Grobler<br />
• Linda Pienaar<br />
• Mariska van Lingen<br />
• Public Display Technologies<br />
• YolandieVlok<br />
• LéClair Dirks<br />
• Johan Kloppers<br />
• Boeretrust<br />
• Japie Krige en die<br />
Jozuagroep van MES<br />
• RonelStrydom<br />
• Colleen Sias<br />
• Johan Louw<br />
• Sonja Myburgh<br />
• Celeste Verloop<br />
• Pieter &Angie Raymond<br />
• Juan Booyens<br />
• Bonnie<br />
Beeckhoudtfrom<br />
Cliffview Primary<br />
School<br />
• Melissa Fourie<br />
• Steadler<br />
• Chemetrix<br />
• Leon<br />
&AnneriHaasbroek<br />
• DawnLundall<br />
• Robin&Netanja<br />
• Van der Linde<br />
• Courtney<br />
• JozuaSterfontein<br />
• Edzard de Villiers<br />
• Tharina van Dyk<br />
• Dezzi van<br />
Niewenhuisen<br />
• Corrie du Plessis<br />
• Elizma Fritz<br />
• Danielia Meyer<br />
• AmandaMcMenamin<br />
• HanmarieKunneke<br />
• Salome van den Berg<br />
• CP & Jean Greyling<br />
• Johann &Carin de<br />
Bruin<br />
• Arrie& Eugenie van<br />
der Westhuizen<br />
• John-Miles Griffiths<br />
• Andre le Grange<br />
• Carien Coetzee<br />
• Lee-Orr Venter<br />
• Leonie McManus<br />
• Erika Janse van<br />
Rensburg<br />
• Bea-Mari Bernard<br />
• Tanya Teichler<br />
• Adele Gouws<br />
• IlseGanz<br />
• Wesley van den Heever<br />
• A & MW Pretorius<br />
• Lucinda E Jooste<br />
• Hylet Erasmus<br />
• Meryl Enslin<br />
• RianTruter<br />
• Radio Kansel/Pulpit<br />
• Marius Lombard<br />
• BurtLamprecht<br />
• Ronel van Heerden<br />
• Exxaro<br />
• SarelSalim<br />
• Johan van Zyl<br />
• Henda<br />
• Monique Michelle<br />
• Ilana<br />
• Nadia Swart<br />
• Adele de Villiers<br />
• Jaco Adendorff<br />
• Paper Enterprise<br />
• Growth Point<br />
• Liezl Kruger<br />
• Anton Bakker Incorporated<br />
• Gisele Nortjé<br />
• Piet & Chanta van der Walt<br />
• Piet Vosloo<br />
• Edzard De Villiers<br />
• Francois Botha<br />
• Iemas<br />
• Ian en Annelize Steyn<br />
• Sonja Myburgh<br />
• Oom Piet &Tannie Elmarie
Wishing you a merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year!<br />
Connect with us<br />
An easy way to stay in touch and be actively get involved is to visit our website, Facebook<br />
page and Twitter! You will lose out if you don’t!<br />
• www.thepotatofoundation.co.za<br />
• http://www.facebook.com/pages/<strong>The</strong>-<strong>Potato</strong>-<strong>Foundation</strong>/130107300360975<br />
• http://twitter.com/#!/<strong>The</strong><strong>Potato</strong>1<br />
Come live your passion and make a<br />
difference!<br />
Contact the <strong>Potato</strong> <strong>Foundation</strong><br />
Telephone number: 082 967 6258<br />
Fax number: 086 612 6532<br />
Email: info@thepotatofoundation.co.za<br />
Website: www.thepotatofoundation.co.za