BLOEMFONTEIN – A 81-year-old Bloemfontein man is the winner of a brand new Renault Kwid Climber worth R222 000. Engo Free State’s Project of Hope concluded joyfully at Renault Bloemfontein on Friday 31 October, with Izak Gelderbloem drawing the right key to open his new car.
Five finalists were selected from entries received from all over, and along with companions; sponsors Renault Bloemfontein, Novus Media and Evolve Audit and Advisory; as well as Engo’s staff, attended a morning full of excitement.
The other finalists who participated in the final draw are:
■ Braam Minnaar, from Wesselsbron;
■ Gideon Mostert, from Bloemfontein;
■ Ntabeleng Tsimile, from Senekal; and
■ Bianca Strauss, from Vanderkloof.
Gelderbloem, who lives on his own in a townhouse in Raymond Mhlaba Street, said he was excited about this big gift.
“I can only say thank you. Thanks, to my Heavenly Father.”
Up until now, Gelderbloem has driven an old vehicle, and this is the first time he will own a car that has power steering.
His daughter, Ansie Cramer, who attended the morning of the draw with him, said her father would have to get back to practicing driving first.
“He just drives to church on Sundays, and then comes to visit me. Otherwise, we take him around town if he needs anything.”
Gelderbloem got his winning ticket from Rev. Jannie Smith of the Dutch Reformed Church De Bloem. Smith is also the chairman of Engo’s governing body.
Gelderbloem, who made donations in return for two tickets, on Friday said that he would definitely be doing so again next year.
The public was invited to make a donation of R50 and be in the draw for the chance to win the Renault Kwid Climber. A total of 6 719 tickets were sold in this year’s Project of Hope.
De Wet Claassens, executive director of Engo, said everyone who participated in the project was a winner. The funds raised from the Project of Hope will support Engo’s programmes, including its child and youth care centres, disability care, aged care and family care programmes.
“At Engo, we believe that Eternal Hope lies not only in great deeds, but in every gesture of giving. The Project of Hope is a testament to that − a reminder that when we stand together, we can truly colour the world around us with hope,” says Claassens.
■ Engo is a non-profit organisation based on the Christian values of courage, excellence, honesty, integrity, care and empathy, and has been creating Eternal Hope (“Tshepo Esafeleng”) in the Free State for more than a century. This year marks the 12th time that the Project of Hope has been presented.
It is a project in which Novus Media Community News and its Free State newspapers, BloemNews, BloemExpress, Vista and VrystaatKroon, have been involved from the outset.
For more details or to get involved, send an email to info@engo.co.za or dial 060 548 5543. Also visit engo.co.za.
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