From all of us at AACL PE, may we take this opportunity of wishing you all the very best for a blessed and peaceful Christmas and a very happy and healthy New Year. Our heartfelt thanks for all the support during 2012. Know that each and every one of you truly made a difference to those who cannot speak for themselves. And this you did time again to my numerous appeals for help during the flooding, for our spayathons and dipathons, etc. Port Elizabeth is truly blessed with a sincere and caring population, without which we could not survive as an NPO and we simply cannot express our gratitude sufficiently. May you enjoy rest, wonderful family time and some excellent memory-making moments.
Our picture block says it all! It is with great pride and admiration that I send this report-back. I know that most of you have met Bev, our very hardworking fieldworker. Every year she picks a different township to hold a Christmas party. This township or squatter area is one of the areas where we hold our mobile clinics on a daily basis, returning to that particular area once a week. In so doing, they build up a relationship with the people in those areas and educate and help them with their pets. The children who bring their pets regularly and show that desire to really learn how to love and treat their pets are invited to a Christmas party – most of them their first. Naturally, loads of friends are also invited along the way and if the love of an animal can rub off in this way, then one more gift and one more plate of food is so worth it.
This year it was Govan Mbeki Township that came alive with the sound of laughter on 19 December. Agnes and other workers from ACVV had been hard at work cooking up the food that had been so graciously donated. Thank you, ACVV for the use of the hall. 400 children had the joy of jumping on a Jumping Castle for the first time in their lives. Our thanks to Willem Verwey of Holly Hop Jumping Castles for giving them this joy. And to Liz Jordaan of Albany Bread, Teneil Westenberg of EmediaIT and Ros Lourens, the food, party packs and music certainly brought home the true Christmas spirit. To everyone who so kindly donated toys, books, dolls, balls, you name it – each and every child went home with a Christmas gift and a huge smile. Thank you. Not forgetting that any pet that came to the party, also had a Christmas treat! And to the team – Bev, Patsy, Karien, Magda, Mandy, DJ, Josh and Cherise – kudos on spreading the joy. I salute you.
And so, as the sun sets on 2012, let us all move into a 2013 that holds light and love for everyone.
With our sincere regards and thanks.
Linda-Louise Swain and all at Animal Anti-Cruelty League Port Elizabeth
Govan Mbeki Township Xmas Party
