THE Drakenstein Service Forum’s vision is to maximise service to the community and to co-ordinate community services.
The forum was established in 2006 and meets every third Monday of the month at the Hospice House in Paarl.
Representatives of local welfare organisations get together to discuss the different needs they come across within the community and try to find ways to lend a helping hand where they can. In this way they try to ensure that the organisations do not duplicate projects, but help and assist each others.
The members of the forum service clubs includes Rotary, Round Table and Lions, Hospice, Butterfly House, Miqlat, Monte Christo Ministries, Valcare, Norsa, Paarl Haven Nightshelter, Salvation Army, local churches and many more. Chubby Howell is the chairperson of the forum.
“Through the forum we know who’s got what and who needs what,” says Peter van Niekerk of Paarl Lions.
Van Niekerk also said that because the forum allows the different organisations to be part of one another’s projects, it also ensures that each organisation can offer a better service to the community.
“People must be aware of the different organisations and make use of them. There is no need to go without a pair of glasses, a wheelchair or a walker.”
“If you want to donate something, whether it is a rug or clothes, we will find someone who needs it.”
One of the projects of the Paarl Lions thats also supported by the forum is the Feed a Child Every Day (FACE) project. The FACE kitchen in Nederburg serves 200 meals to needy people on three days of the week.
This December holiday (14 December to 15 January) they aim to make 2 000 meals a day, for distribution in the district, from Mbekweni to as far as Klapmuts.
To cover the expenses, a Sunset Family Picnic Concert will be held on 11 December at 19:45 at The Riverside outside Franschhoek, where the Pyromonics band will perform. Tickets are R80 (R40 for 8-16 years and children under 8 free). Gates open at 17:00 and there will be jumping castles for the kids.
Food and refreshments will be available, or bring your own picnic.
The proceeds will be donated to various organisations. Contact Peter on 084-7933-655 or Yvonne at Riverside at 021-874-2058.
