December News

Finishing strong 

One of the most exciting events happened on the 12^th of November 2014. It was the opening of the new library at Graceland. The first idea of a library at Graceland started with Zoë Lee, however, due to the need of another classroom, we decided to move the library to the loft where our storage was. Thanks to Imperial Managed Logistics this dream was turned into a reality. Imperial Managed Logistics funded the staircase and the renovations to make it safe and beautiful.

Right now the Graceland library is only available for the children who attend Graceland Pre-school but in future we would like to make it available to the Devonvallei Primary School as well.  For now we are working on a system that will allow children to be able take books home and return them after a certain period. However, we will only be able to extend the availability of the library once a proper system is in place to ensure the success of what we are trying to achieve.

We were very honoured to have the Mayor of Stellenbosch, Conrad Sedigo, the Graceland Library opening. He was very touched and honoured to be part of such a great occasion. During the mayor’s speech he became very emotional and recalled the first time he got to experience a library at the age of 14 years old, due to Apartheid in South Africa and libraries only being available to white people. He reminded each one of us of the significance such a library and the value it will add to the community.

As we say goodbye to what seems to be another fruitful year at Graceland, we stand amazed at generous hearts we have encountered this year and we say thank you to every person who have given of their time, in kind, in words and in funds. We are truly grateful and we recognise that without your partnership the great work we do would not be possible. 

The Gracelanders wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Goodbye 2014... And helllo 2015! We are ready for the new adventures, challenges and opportunities 2015 has in store, hope you are ready too;)                                                                                                   

April news!

Graceland High Tea 2014

Our High Tea was hosted on the terrace at the luxurious Devon Valley Hotel, surrounded by amazing views filled with natural beauty. The weather played along as jazz vocalist Monique Hellenberg covered the atmosphere with her sultry piano sounds and angelic voice.  

We had fun and laughter as Early Childhood Development specialist, Bonita Daniels Director of the Early Childhood Centre, made us feel like children again with an activity that emphasised the importance of appreciating the work produced by our little ones  regardless of the developmental milestone they are in. As Bonita voiced the cause of the most vulnerable human beings on earth, she brought it down to the basics for everyone to understand and to remind us of the power we have as their leaders, to build them up or break them down.

Devon Valley Hotel did an amazing job with the set up of the tables and chairs, service and catering. We were all spoilt with the most delicious treats, from the sweetest of chocolates cakes to the simplicity of the cucumber sandwiches.  Gillian Swart was the lucky winner of the very popular Sunday lunch Buffet for two people and Mr John Berg was our best dressed gentleman and winner of the one night stay at the Devon Valley Hotel with Breakfast included for two people. Thank you Devon Valley for supporting us by hosting this event every year and giving away the prizes. This has been a true blessing.

    

Finally, we ended the day with our adorable little ones singing their favourite song, the South African National Anthem. There was not a dry eye in sight. They are the reason we do what to do and they are worth it! 

Thank you to all the people who were able to attend, especially to Imperial Managed Logistics, Distell, the Farm Owners Association and the parents. The event could not have been a success without you and we hope you enjoyed every minute  of it because we enjoyed every minute with you.

The World Race comes to Graceland

Graceland's exposure is growing exponentially. This week we hosted 7 girls from The World Race as potential ambassadors and partners with the Thembalitsha Foundation. Excited to see what this connection will bring.

April News

Strike-a-Pose!

On 15 March 2013, Thembalitsha Education held its annual High Tea at the Devon Valley Hotel to raise awareness for the important work done by Graceland Preschool. The theme was fashion so everyone came dressed to impress, each woman displaying unique style, creativity and elegance.

We were blessed with light rain which forced the event inside one of the hotel’s conference rooms. This did not take away from the fun we had and in fact created a very cozy and intimate atmosphere that complemented the soothing music performed by Jenny Ah Chong, classically trained musician who had us captivated by the sound of her angelic voice.

The food was beautifully presented, almost too good-looking to eat. We are so grateful to the Devon Valley Hotel for their generosity as all the proceeds from the event went to Graceland. Graceland and the Devon Valley Hotel have a remarkable relationship. Some of the hotel staff actually send their children to Graceland Preschool so the hotel, in turn, are very supportive.

Our children will have breakfast for two months thanks to everyone who brought milk and oats to the Tea as a donation to Graceland Preschool. We also received clothes from designer Jaques Nhau for the children who modeled side by side with supermodels, Charné King and three of her fellow Miss SA finalists.

Everyone left inspired by what Graceland Preschool is doing in the community. If we work alone, we work in vain but if we work together we can make a difference as a community by ensuring that children are being taken care of and developed when they are in the most vulnerable stage of their lives.

A big ‘THANK YOU’ to all who supported the event!

April News

Beshrin in his Graceland days

The fruits of our labour are truly starting to show! Last year some of the first little ones we taught graduated matric! Amongst them was Beshrin Van Niekerk. Beshrin is the eldest of four children and grew up in Devon Valley. He has fond memories of us and can remember singing ‘Father Abraham had many sons’! He told us that as he was studying it was often a battle with so many siblings and he often had to wait to do homework until late at night when everyone was asleep. But his hard work and dedication has paid off and he is now studying at Cape Town University after receiving a bursary to study IT. We are confident that a bright future is ahead of him and are thankful that we are able to offer a fantastic head start in education to children like Bershrin, whom otherwise may not have been able to attend preschool. If all the children we care for grasp hold of the opportunities in front of them, like Beshrin has done, then there is so much potential for their generation to shake the bonds of poverty and we will be reassured that we are on the right path of ‘restoring hope by developing people to a point of self-reliance’ as our mission statement declares! Exciting times!

Beshrin, a successful student!

March News

The Graceland girls doing their thing

This month we were very excited to host our Fancy Hat Tea with the Queen (of Graceland). Over 100 ladies attended this wonderful event on the terrace of the Devon Valley Hotel, Stellenbosch. The sun smiled down on us and everyone who attended wore a beautiful, and sometimes unique, hat. Ambient music was provided by the girls from Wholehearted and we listened to addresses from Laura Collura, the Director of Education for Thembalitsha, Amanda Nortje, the funding manager and Elizabeth Solomons, the ‘Queen’ of Graceland. Mrs Berger, who owns Seaton Farm, the land that Graceland sits on, gave a moving speech about the history of Graceland and how she became involved with the project. We were fortunate enough to enjoy some tantalizing treats provided by the Devon Valley Hotel: yummy cakes and scones and delicate sandwiches. The hotel also presented us with a cheque for R11895 which are the profits from their Giving Room initiative! It is safe to say that the event was a huge success. Thank you so much to all those involved who made the day so special and particularly to the Devon Valley Hotel for providing the tasty tea party and the stunning venue for free. It’s people like you who make the difference.

To see more photos from the day visit our Facebook Page.

The preschoolers impressing

The winner of the most unusal hat.