The Andries Olivier Durbanville Quadriplegic Centre has been unable to hold its annual fund-raisers for the past two years because of the pandemic, but now it is banking on a charity golf day to raise money for maintenance and future projects.
“As far back as 2020, the lockdown meant that all but one of our planned fund-raising initiatives for 2020 have been cancelled,” said Rosabelle Riese, the chairwoman of the home. “Our party-equipment-hire business has generated no income, and our guest rooms have been empty for many months as we may not have external persons staying on our premises that time.”
She hopes the charity golf day at the Durbanville Golf Club in November will give the home a much-needed boost.
“We hope the funds raised can cover our monthly shortfall, which is R25 000, and our monthly expenses that include the electrical rewiring throughout the house to improve safety as this is a potential fire hazard.
“The wiring in the roof is not in an acceptable state. We have been told on many occasions that the main electrical board is an electrician’s nightmare. This is a serious concern for us.”
The home in Hafele Street is a non-profit organisation, which originated from the Huis Andries Olivier in Kuils River, a three-bedroom rented house that accommodated five quadriplegics and was founded in 1994 by a quadriplegic, Andries Olivier, according to Ms Riese.
“His goal was to relocate that house to Durbanville, but, unfortunately, he passed away in 1998. However, the Quadriplegic Association of the Western Cape embarked on a project to build a home for quadriplegics in the Durbanville area. The Durbanville municipality donated a piece of land to the association to start building, and the centre was officially opened on 29 August 2001.”
It is home to 12 quadriplegics and paraplegics and is managed by the residents who also have to raise funds for the day-to-day running costs.
“Funds are raised by means of various projects, donors and a state subsidy, which covers 15% of the running costs. We’ve had successful Lotto applications which were used for projects in and around the house,“ she said.
The home also needed a toilet with wheelchair access, a nurse-call-bell system, a fire-detection-alarm system and repairs to a leaky and rat-infested wendy house, she said.
“We also hope to replace air conditioners. This is a necessity, in particular for our quadriplegics who have challenges with regulating their body temperature. At present, all bedrooms have air conditioning, which needs a major service or replacement.”
Contact Rosabelle Riese at 072 521 1160 or email riese2608@gmail.com for more information.
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