Microlighters

Good Morning everyone,

Today, I have a special request for you all. I delivered a freezer on behalf of my Dad’s Bike Club to the Bramley Children’s Home in Groenkloof, Pretoria. I was definitely not prepared for what I saw there…

The home is run by a dedicated staff and cares for abused and abandoned children of all ages, housed in 4 main “Houses”. The shocking reality hits you hard when you are shown around the grounds which are now home to over 50 shattered lives. These young children have lost all trust in the world…they shy away into corners as you walk close by…the visual scars are testament to how cruel our world can be.

The staff are a Godsend for these kids, they are doing the best they can with their limited resources.They use what little financial support they get to get the youngsters off to school, doctors, recreational activities and they have House Mothers who stay on the premises to care for, cook, cloth, wash and help them in their day to day lives.

To say this has tugged on my heart strings is an understatement…I want to help these little guys and girls, but I cant do it alone.
I have been given a “Wishlist” for the Bramley Home, I publish it’s contents here in the hope that you may find some things here you can donate to them to help these kids at least have a chance in life…

Urgently needed:

House 1:

Toiletries (ongoing need)
Electric Fan
Cleaning Materials (Dishwashing soap, washing powder etc etc)
Clothes Hangers (15 donated so far)
Cuttlery (Knives forks, spoons)
A4 Paper reams.
Computer and screen
Stationary (School)
Kitchen Cupboards
Floorwiz mop and bucket
Microwave oven
Stainless steel pots and pans
Dish Cloths
10 meter extention chord (roll up) DONE
12 x comforter blankets for girls
6 x Bathroom curtains

House 2:

Cleaning Materials
Clothes Hangers
Toiletries
13 x A4 size photo albums
VCR
A4 Paper reams x 5
Dish Cloths
Broom (for inside) DONE
15 x side plates
15 x dinnerplates
Outside umbrellas (1 donated so far)
Tupperware containers
15 x placemates (any colour)
Carpet Cleaning machine
13 x Comforter blankets
Electric Frying pan
10 m extention chord
Winter two piece pajamas (all sizes)
Outside broom DONE
Floorwiz Mop and bucket

House 3:

Cleaning Materials
Clothes Hangers
Toiletries
Wardrobe DONE
Comforters for boys x 15
Dish cloths
Chip maker (French fries)
10 m extention cable roll up
4 x shower curtains (blue)
Floorwiz and bucket
Lounge suite
5 liter stainless pots
Plastic containers and Tupperware
2 x Garden Umbrella’s with bases
Fitted sheets (single bed)
Broom for inside
Deep base electric frying pan
A4 Reams of paper x 5
4 x Bathroom curtains
Grey school socks
TV

House 4:

Electric Frying pan
Dich cloths
Cleaning materials
Lace curtains for boy’s rooms
Desktop PC with Office and speakers (PC Donated...need speakers)
1 x pink shower curtain DONE
Toiletries
Outside umbrella’s with base
Brooms inside
Grass broom for outside
A4 Reams x 5
Clothes hangers
Winter pajamas all ages boys and girls
White school shirts Ages 9-10 and 11 to 12 (6 of each size)
Fridge
Lounge suite

Children’s requests:

Drimacs (all sizes) Black, Hunter’s Green and blue
White school shirts
School stationary (crayons, pens, pencils erasers etc etc)
Swimming Towels
Scientific calculators
Soft cover books A4 72 pages
White and grey school socks
Sleeping bags
Sun tan cream (urgent) Hard cover school books 96 and 192 pages (feint and margin)

General:

Non perishable foods (canned goods)
Play sand for the sand pit
HTH Clorine for pool
1 x colour printer/scanner for office
Teaspoons
15m ext cable 1,5mm for office
Vitamins
Pool acid
Filing cabinet

I ask you all to please help where you can, to put an extra item in the shopping cart, or to blow the dust off those old things in the garage and get them to the people who really need it.
These children face almost impossible odds,it's not their fault, we cant change the world.... but we can try our best to give them some hope, dignity and a chance at creating a better life for themselves. They all need financial assistance and guidance, help with their homework, help with their sport....they just want to feel like somebody actually cares.

Pledge pledge an item and post it here (so that we don’t all buy the same things) and get them to the home asap. Every month we can tick off the items we have got until we’ve ticked them all.

Bramley Childrens Home
72 Oates Str
Groenkloof
Pretoria
Tel: 012 460 6372 Contact Desiree Gouws

Please open your hearts guys...you can make a difference.

I have sent an e-mail to all on our own forum at Kroon, will see what comes from it. Will keep you posted on the results.

I challenge other flying clubs to do the same.

Thanks AirHog, they will appreciate it very much.

1 x 10m extention chord
1 x inside broom
1 x grass broom
1 x PC (donated by a friend of mine)
1 x shower curtains
1 x outside umbrella
some clothes hangers
1 x wardobe

Sorted....that's just outta my garage!

Come on guys.

Nice initiative,

We are sending a bakkie load (about 10 refuse bags) of toys/ clothing/ sports equipment e.t.c. to a local orphanage tomorrow, kindly donated by our community and customers.

If I may add a few points:

Get a letter from the home with their reg. number authorising you to collect on their behalf to prove authenticity. Often, collections are a front and don’t reach the correct beneficiaries.

Since they're requesting particular electronic goods, inquire whether they have an inventory list of existing equipment. Computers, printer’s e.t.c. regularly get feet if there's no control before the real benefactors even know about it.

Don’t restrict donations to a specified list because you might lose out on some cool items which donors might think beneficial and give with a good heart i.e. out grown cricket bats, hockey sticks, computer games, racquets, and boots e.t.c.

Establish collection points/ dump bins at business / flying clubs with high traffic or request at a retail store near you and take whatever is donated. The home can always go through the stuff later.

Business owners, instead of paying obscene profit tax to the government, load up the wish list at Macro and replace your IT hardware which your accountant will write off to tax @ 20% per year (and the government then replaces for you every 5 years) and send off to Bundy.

Thanks TW, but I certainly do not want items coming to me.

Donated items are to go straight to the recipient please everyone.

TW is right guys there may be very useful items not on the above list but please contact Desiree at the above no and see if they can be of use for the kids. The above list is simply what they are in very urgent need of, but think of your own kids requirements...Toys, games, sports equip, even fuel for the vehicles transporting them to school and back.

Thanks for driving this Alan. I have printed out the list and will go through within the next day of two, then revert.

HI guys

What bundy described is realy true. I used to do work for Bramley for 4 years and can agree that the staff there are sent from Heaven.
Thanks for the initiative. I will see what i can do from my side