Sea Vista Marimba band off to China

by | Jan 25, 2017 | St Francis

Local Children’s Band To Perform In China

Sea Vista Steel and Marimba Band off to China

Back : Abulele Silolo, Dean Kalo (bandleader and teacher), Bafana Santi, Ayanda Hlela , Grant-Login Harris and Banele Speelman Front : Sagin Rala (crouching) and Jo-Andre Swarts

At the invitation of the Yangcheng Municipal People’s Government, Jincheng city northern China, the Solid Rock Steel & Marimba Band will leave South Africa on 25th January to fly to Jincheng to participate in that city’s annual Chinese New Year festivities.

“This opportunity came about after a Chinese delegation, who were visiting the Sarah Baartman Municipal District, attended one of our shows at the Cape St Francis Resort,” said band leader Dean Kalo. “We often do shows for groups of tourists at the Resort and we always get a good response. But this invitation came as such a wonderful surprise! We have never been on a plane and most of the boys have never travelled beyond the Eastern Cape!”

The trip will include a 20 day stay in Jincheng with the band playing each morning in the grounds of the Prime Minister’s castle and then enjoying various cultural experiences and shows in and around Jincheng. The boys aged between 14 and 17 will travel with their band leader and teacher, Dean Kalo and other delegates from the Sarah Baartman Municipality who are sponsoring the band’s trip abroad.

Lesley Moore who founded the band in 2001 at the Talhado Children’s Haven is brimming with pride. “We have had our work cut out for us getting the boys equipped for this trip with passports, vaccinations and everything that goes into planning an overseas trip for the group and their equipment. The Sarah Baartman Municipality have been wonderful in assisting us and we are certain once the boys arrive in China, the Chinese people will receive them with open arms and make sure they are very well looked after. This is an opportunity of a lifetime for these youngsters.”

The boys who are travelling with the band are 25 year old Dean Kalo (bandleader and teacher), Ayanda Hlela (14), Sagin Rala (17), Abulele Silolo (14), Bafana Santi (15), Banele Speelman (15), Jo-Andre Swarts (15), and Grant-Login Harris (16).
Make us proud boys!

How Can You Help?

The band is often asked to play at weddings and other functions, and are regulars at the Cape St Francis Resort and St Francis morning markets. The biggest hurdle they face in fulfilling their engagements is transportation. The Haven are looking for a good Samaritan or Samaritans who would like to take on the responsibility of collecting and returning the boys and their equipment trailer from Sea Vista. If you can help call Lesley Moore on 0825561050

Article and Photograph by Lynn Aitken

Sea Vista Soup Kitchen Opens For Business

by | Jun 30, 2016 | St Francis

Talhado Children’s Haven

Sea Vista children eagerly queuing outside Talhado Children’s Haven to receive a hot meal – Photo: Lyn Aiten

The Sea Vista Clinic Committee and volunteers have re-opened the soup kitchen which used to be run by the late Aggie Louw. They are appealing to all of those generous folk and organisations who so kindly supported Aggie’s soup kitchen in the past to consider supporting the new project. This soup kitchen is intended to feed the needy children in Sea Vista as well as the elderly and infirm.

“There are many people in Sea Vista suffering from HIV and TB who are not well enough to work. These people must eat properly in order to take their medication. Our volunteers will be ensuring that these people’s needs are taken care of,” said Sea Vista Clinic committee members Hilda Fredericks.

The soup kitchen premises in Steenbras Street is in need of some refurbishments and re-stocking. Some paint has been donated and work on sprucing up the house will commence this week with the committee ladies and volunteers overseeing the project.

While the kitchen is being restored, the volunteers have re-opened the soup kitchen service using the kitchen facilities at Talhado Children’s Haven. They will be providing hot lunches from the Haven for the duration of the school holidays by which time the new soup kitchen will be ready to start operating. The kitchen at the Haven recently received a full face lift and improvements courtesy of Kouga Wind Farm so they are well equipped to host the soup kitchen during the holidays.

The committee have put together a “wish list” for the soup kitchen and are appealing for donations to help them get up and running. They are looking for :

  • 100 x soup bowls
  • 100 plates
  • 50 spoons
  • Pots – large, medium, small
  • Dishing up spoons and cooking utensils
  • 3 x Plastic bowls
  • 1 x kettle
  • Trays
  • 4 x buckets
  • Dish cloths,
  • Sunlight soap
  • Toilet paper
  • Black bags
  • Steel wool
  • Sponges
  • Handy Andy
  • Towels
  • 1 x yard broom
  • 2 x jugs
  • Insect spray
  • Light bulbs
  • Non-perishable foods

Anyone who has any of these items to donate can drop them off at St Francis Liquor Store in St Francis Drive.

For those who may prefer to make a financial contribution to the Sea Vista soup kitchen, the Rotary Satellite Club St Francis will accept donations on behalf of the soup kitchen and ensure that these are paid over.

Banking details:
Rotary Satellite Club St Francis
Standard Bank Humansdorp
Code 051001
Acc No 186525753
Reference : Soup + surname (i.e. soup smith)

Proud moment for Talhado Children’s Haven Graduate

by | Jun 24, 2016 | St Francis

Talhado Children’s Haven graduate celebrates

Matric Dance fever came to Sea Vista last evening along with another proud moment for the teachers and staff at Talhado Children’s Haven as one of their old boys, Charl Brown, prepared to attend his Matric farewell dance on 22 June.

Charl who is set to matriculate from Humansdorp Secondary School this year, is the second son of proud parents Virginia and Charlie Brown of Sea Vista.Charl’s mother, Virginia, is the Haven’s Grade 00 Afrikaans Montessori teacher.

Friends and family gathered together to celebrate and give Charl a fabulous send-off before his father took him to collect his date for the evening, Cindy Leigh Saile.

Congratulations to Charl – everyone is very proud of you! And Congratulations to the Haven and its wonderful staff who can now boast
another matriculant amongst its old boys!

Charl Brown

Charl Brown (centre) with his proud father and mother, Charlie
and Virginia Brown – Photo – Lyn Aitken

Article – Lynette Aitken

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