Durban - Mandela Day is celebrated nationwide in honour of South Africa’s first democratically elected president, Nelson Mandela, a man synonymous with putting the people first.
Mandela Day encourages people to commit to 67 minutes of community service, reflecting the 67 years of his Madiba’s public service.
To celebrate Mandela Day, St Mary’s Diocesan School for Girls in Kloof, launched a blanket drive in partnership with non-profit organisation 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day.
Head of the senior primary section, Tracy Laubscher said a former St Mary’s pupil ‒ Lynne Macrae (Class of 1998) ‒ had asked the school to get involved with 67 Blankets for Mandela.
Laubscher welcomed the invitation and coordinated the drive.
"I did not produce all these blankets by myself and I must thank the community: it was a great community project.“
Classes from junior primary to high school, teachers and elders were involved.
Laubsher said: “To me, Mandela Day isn’t about putting your hand into your pocket and taking money, but to use your hands to get involved. The biggest gift our girls can give is the gift of time. So to those who made the (blanket) squares, that has been a gift of their time as they easily could have bought a blanket. Hours of work have been put into these blankets.”
She said she was blown away by the response from the school with 210 blankets being made, well over their initial target of 70. “This shows the girls have learnt a new skill, mothers and grandmothers have rediscovered an old skill and it has also brought people together. It also means 210 people who might’ve had nothing, are now being blessed.”
Grade 7 pupils Gabriella Pugh, Caitlin McGlynn and Georgia Main were delighted to have been involved. Gabriella said she liked the thought of keeping people warm, especially through winter.
“I also enjoyed this because I love spending time knitting with my granny and I learnt a new skill.” Gabriella said she had made 300 squares before giving them to Caitlin, who in turn knitted them with her mom.
Caitlin said they made between seven or eight blankets, and she felt fulfilled because she was contributing to helping those in need keep themselves warm.
Georgia said the project had helped her pick up a new skill, and it was also a good release after coming home from a long school day. She said she had made seven or eight blankets and helped turn other people’s squares into blankets.
67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day ambassadors and KnitWits Susan Eslick and Sue Hubach agreed that Mandela Day was about giving one’s time to assist those in need. Eslick and Hubach praised Laubscher, saying she was a “phenomenal person with incredible drive and what she’s done with the girls is incredible”.
Eslick and Hubach said their organisation would also have a blanket layout on June 10 at Holy Family College with more than 670 blankets for the public. They also have a project called the Secret Scarf Mission on Mandela’s birthday ‒ July 18 ‒ where they’ll be hanging scarves with the message: “If you need me, you can take me”.
The Independent on Saturday