As part of its contribution to ‘67 minutes of doing something for the community’ on Mandela’s birthday today,  St Francis Chronicle and Show Me St Francis handed over sweets for the street and orphaned children in Sea Vista today.

The occasion was also attended by scores of other children who all clamoured  round us to receive sweets we had bought. Super Spar St Francis By also donated some sweets for the children.

The street and orphaned children are under the watch of child minder, Aggie, who also runs the Sea vista Soup kitchens. Today was a special day she told us as the safe house for children found on the street late afternoons or at night was being opened.

To mark this opening Ward Clr, Ben Rheeder, delivered a short speech in which he thanked Aggie for her sterling work in looking after abandoned children. He said the house was not yet complete and he appealed to anyone who could help with things like putting in electric lights or do other needed renovations, to offer their services.

Rheeder also said the house was for the children of Sea Vista – and anyone who needed care after hours in an emergency. The children and people taken in at night will be kept safe until the authorities like child welfare can attend to them in daylight. He also appealed for volunteers to help man the safe house and thanked all the companies and people that contributed to the opening of this child shelter.

The occasion was also attended by interested members of the St Francis community, role players and organisations, including members of the St Francis Bay Rotary Club and municipal councillors.

Photos show Melissa Glennie of Show Me St Francis and Bev of St Francis Chronicle handing out sweets, plus Ben Rheeder delivering a speech, plus  Aggie (green shirt), cutting open the ribbon on the door of the safe house, plus some of the many bystanders and interested parties who attended the event this afternoon..

Show Me St Francis will be based on Show Me Plett  (http://showme.co.za/plett/  model  – the highly popular, successful and dynamic, plus interactive website that is to be launched in St Francis next week.

See article on  the Safe House:  https://stfrancischronicle.com/2012/07/19/safe-house-for-street-children-opens-2/

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