Well its 8 days until Christmas and the WEteam have been frantically organizing what promises to be the best Christmas day ever in Dixie and all thanks to our truly generous WEangels. I am shocked that it is nearly the end of the year already, it has flown by. We have achieved so much in WildEarth this year and we are only at the the foot of the mountain. On a personal note I got married and had a baby this year, so it has been pretty amazing for me as well.
This blog is primarily to thank all of our WEangels. You guys have once again made it possible for a village of disadvantaged people to have a day that they will never forget. You should all be very proud because you have made a difference in peoples lives. However, before I list the names I want to let you all know where we are up to with the organizations. Most of the food has been ordered from La Bamba who are our local food suppliers for the bush. I have ordered 75 cooked chickens, enough cabbage, carrots and mayonnaise to cook coleslaw for 400 people and maize meal and sauce for the same amount. One hundred litres of orange drink concentrate has also been ordered along with 500 plastic cups and 500 plates. We are getting 220 kilograms (about 500 pounds) of beef from the local Hoedspruit butcher, all of which will be cooked on the day. We are in deep discussions as to how to cook all the meat at the moment so I will keep you posted as to what is decided.
Lieschen has arrived at just the right time because although I can do all the phone ordering, getting to the bush to actually help on the ground is impossible due to a certain small addition to my family. However, Lieschen has it firmly under control at the camp and is getting a team of ten ladies from the community together to cook and prepare on the day. Storage of all this food prior to Christmas remains a problem unsolved but we are working on it. A huge tent has been booked and this will be erected the night before and I have booked a DJ who will arrive on the day at lunch time and play ‘tunes’ until the last person goes to bed. This apparently is the most important thing to have at the party (Rexon has been adamant about this) people love to dance.
Last week Graham and I headed for Johannesburg Town Centre to buy gifts for 143 kids. It was utter chaos but a lot of fun.We made a list of all the children and bought presents that were age and gender specific. Whilst Graham sourced tool sets, water pistols, racing cars and action men, I found barbie sets, cosmetic kits and colouring books. We managed to get three of four gifts for each child and in that was included an item of clothing. We managed to get all of these home in two car loads filled to the brim. Pippa Moolman happened to be staying at our house during all of this and she has taken a load already to the bush so that the team can start wrapping and labelling. Pete Braat arrived yesterday in Johannesburg and in return for the best home cooked meal we can muster, he is transporting the rest of the presents back to Djuma today. I’d like to say good luck to the crew when it comes to the wrapping, it is one huge job!!
As you know WE are broadcasting the events LIVE on the day which should really be something to watch. Apparently the people in Dixie know how to party so please join them on Christmas day. WE have done a test to check that the LIVE signal can be beamed to you from the village and that all went very well, so WE are ready.
Now for the people who have all made this possible. What can I say, you are truly amazing. I never dreamt that we would be able to raise this much money. The final amount stands at $4830 but every now and again money is still coming in. I will keep you posted as to the final amount. WildEarth would like to say a sincere thank you to:-
Kirsty Lynas, Simon Dilts, Kathy Theobald, Kerry and Walter Kosky, Valorie Berry, Aquila, Michael Moss, KCMary, Marty and Daniel Benke, Beverly Bailey, Patricia Mulligan, Snow LEApard, Patti German, David Keen, Nora Olguin, Mary Schooley, Dorothy Mulligan, Joyce Fuller, Lela and Marvin Criswell, Marie Taoukdjian, Sueso, Sharon Mcdorman, Christine Connor, Sandra Walton, Fabienne van Wunnik, Jenny Bell, Cathy Glenney-Munro, Cheri & Troy Pryor, Jeanne M, RavenLunatic, Margo Green, Barbara Ellington, Dawn Palmer, Susan Turner, Tina Yee, Terry Bliss, Patty Kelly, Patricia Hobson, Debbie Hanson, Charlie Kerr, Louis Leger, Randy Hacker, Kay Schmid, Pat from Nebraska, Kathy Lambert, Linda Blankenship, Judit Orozki, Faye Newman, J Braat, Diane Machita, Pamela Bell, Doris Walker, Pam Parton, sabdha, Karen Thacker, Anita Clark, Helen Richardson, Mike Williamson, Joan Jackson, Christine Munro, Gabrielle Walter, Peter Braat, Gail Bauckham, Lana Leeger, Minyard Family, Jaqueline Fenby, Michelle Sundeen, June Bonds, Lynn and Rick Barker, Stacey Manfredi and logan and lacey, Sue Bastiani, Roseann Coon, Barbara macleod, Barbara Tomasovic, Donna Pearl, Lylia Bennet, Leanna Muir, Chris Falk, Allison perras, Carol Smith, Sally Hubbert, Sylvia Wendelin, Julie Woods, Marian Noakes, mothernature/linda, Beth and Eliza Cunningham, Beverly Perkins, Sabine Blackburn,Janine Noble, Harold and Abby Yeilding, Jeanette Prefontaine, Sabine Luhrig, Dr Terry Jackson D.D.S, Aunty Lyn, Lisa and her daughter Selby, Dean Rohrs, Audrey Kepka, Anne K, Walter Gordon, Monika Shamblin, Rebecca Brinlee, John Kilpatrick, Lisa Laurencio, G A Meckmann, Gayle Anderson, Caroline Fraser, Constance Jaynes.
Written by Emily Wallington
