Earlier this term, the Grade 2 pupils from Reddam House visited the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) in Gordon’s Bay.
As a non-profit organisation, the NSRI is run by rescue teams of unpaid volunteers, and is entirely dependent on donations for funding.
Despite these challenges, the NSRI is among the world’s oldest sea rescue organisations and through the years has grown to include over 1 000 trained volunteers who help keep South African waters, sea and inland, safe.
The Reddam pupils were so inspired by the work they saw being done by these men and women, that they decided to find a way to give back to this organisation.
They came up with the idea to organise a market day at school, which they did with some help from their teacher and parents.
Some of the activities they organised included Nerf target shooting, ten pin bowling, toss the bean bag, decorate a Christmas biscuit and “pie face” games.
There were also a range of delicious edible things available to buy, such as lucky packets, candy floss, cake made by Ouma, clown face cupcakes, popcorn and much more.
They managed to raise R2 960.
Sally Zimmer, their teacher, contacted the NSRI to break the good news to them.
Alan Meiklejohn, the station commander, and his team of volunteers from the NSRI visited the school this week to collect the money raised by this group of children.
Mr Meiklejohn expressed his gratitude and told the children that their money will be spent on fuel – a massive expense for the NSRI – for their rescue boats. “We were so proud to be able to help this dedicated group of people,” said Ms Zimmer.
