A GROUP of 30 residents at Jeffreysrus Retirement Village embarked on a fun walk on November 26, on the premises to raise much-needed funds for their sick bay and to show gratitude and appreciation to the staff.
According to the organiser of the event who would prefer to remain anonymous, the home’s sick bay had so many additional expenses due to the COVID–19 nationwide lockdown.
The resident who has been staying at the home for the past three years said unforeseen expenses included PPE for all personnel and regular fumigation of the sick bay which was expensive.
“The sick bay’s budget was already completed last year. Nobody foresaw that we were going to experience a pandemic and we therefore had many unforeseen expenses,” he said.
Inspired by Captain Tom Moore, a 99-year-old war veteran from Britain who raised a large amount of money for his country’s National Health Service by walking the length of his garden at least 100 times, the residents at the home decided to host a fun walk around the premises to raise funds for the sick bay.
The organiser said that in an effort to keep active most of the residents began taking daily walks around the premises at the start of the nationwide lockdown.
The fun walk was therefore both an initiative to raise money and to continue their good habits of keeping active.
The 30 residents who participated in the fun walk and at least three family members who donated towards the fund-raising event were able to raise R7 000 for the home’s sick bay.
“The residents enjoyed the fun walk and wanted to know when we were going to do it again,” he said.
“I would like to thank all the residents for their enthusiasm and wonderful response to the event. I would also like to thank three of the resident’s family members who contributed to the initiative.”
He said he was happy with the outcome of the event and because of the enthusiasm shown by the residents they were considering hosting a yearly fun walk on the premises.
Apart from raising funds for the sick bay, the fun walk was also a way for the residents to show gratitude and appreciation to the staff at the sick bay for their prompt and willing service in emergency situations.
“The fun walk was an opportunity for us to work together for a commendable cause and to count our blessings,” he said.
