Golden Valley brings cheer to school and rehab centre

Golden Valley Casino recently made 150 Grade 1 learners at Esselen Park Primary School in Worcester smile by handing them stationery packs.

In response to a request from teacher Marie van Zyl, the casino donated special packs containing crayons, pencils, adhesive wallets, scissors, rainbow-coloured paper, and a whiteboard with mini-dusters (the teachers’ favourite).

Golden Valley General Manager Keenan Bergins said the casino was only too pleased to help. “For those learners whose parents are seasonal workers or social grant recipients, just receiving a good meal is a challenge. The school provides breakfast, lunch, and holiday food parcels for the children, but there is little money for things like stationery.”

Esselen Park Principal Kevin Sass said the school was established 68 years ago to deal with the needs of children from an informal settlement. Today. it caters for 1 241 learners from Grade R to Grade 7 in an area beset by unemployment and gangsterism and relies on assistance from the Worcester community.

Linen donation

Golden Valley also donated hotel linen to the Toevlug Centre for Alcohol and Drug Dependence in Worcester.

The donation consisted of over 400 items, including bed sheets, duvet inners and covers, pillows and pillow cases, mattress and pillow protectors, throws, towels, and bath mats.

Over 600 adults and 110 youths are treated at the centre’s inpatient and outpatient facilities.

A delighted Bergins said: “The centre receives a government subsidy for its programmes, but this does not include things such as linen and toiletries. We try to recycle as much as possible and the quality of the hotel linen is excellent.”

Toevlug Centre marketer Sarihana Whitehead said the double-bed sheets would be altered to fit single beds to go even further.