Harold Porter NBG celebrates Mandela Day
The Harold Porter National Botanical Garden celebrated Mandela Day on Saturday 21 July with a tea party for some of the elderly folk from the Hangklip/Kleinmond area. The members of the Kogelberg Branch of the Botanical Society and some of the Garden Staff provided a very generous quantity of delicious sweet and savoury treats, juice, teas and coffee for all who attended the event.
Volunteers provide a tea party feast
A number of staff volunteered to help set up the hall and to serve the guests and tidy up again afterwards. Invitations and indemnity forms for travelling on the Garden bus were sent out to about 80 people, most of whom don’t have their own transport.
Lifts were arranged for those in Betty’s Bay and our bus was used to transport the silver-haired group of about 40 from Proteadorp in Kleinmond.
Inclement weather does not dampen spirits
Unfortunately it was a very cold, windy and rainy day and some of the old folk decided against coming but about 65 of them couldn’t be stopped from coming by a mere nasty Cape winter day!
Contribution of the elderly acknowledged
Our Garden Curator, Berenice Carolus welcomed everyone to the event and spoke about the wonderful contribution the elderly make and how we would all be much poorer in many, many ways if it wasn’t for their presence and willingness to play a role in family and community life.
The role of the Kogelberg Branch of the Botanical Society
Everyone then sang happy birthday to Tata Madiba and this was followed by Barbara Jenman of the Botanical Society who listed the activities of the Botanical Society in the area. She mentioned the different ways they support conservation of our indigenous flora and fauna, laying particular emphasis on the hack, which in this area will have continued unabated for 50 years come January 2013! She also spoke about the very valuable role the Society plays in funding research and various projects in SANBI’s Gardens and the local communities.
Lucky draws
While everyone enjoyed their tea, lucky draws took place for little gifts of goodies supplied by 3 staff members and by the Garden Souvenir Shop. Each person was given a little folder containing a bag of honey bush and one of rooibos tea that had individual numbers written on them. Prizes also included the table flower arrangements which were made in plastic tumblers for winners to take home.
Golden Oldies enjoyed by all
As the rain was still pouring down and while we were waiting for our musician to arrive, folk watched a slide presentation of the Garden and some of its plants and animals. There was a gap in the weather and most folk chose to go for a short walk in the garden but no sooner were they outside than down came the rain again and they all scuttled back inside, giggling like children.
Guitar and mouth organ music was provided by Nick Groenewald who played a number of Golden Oldies which everyone sang along to and then it was time to go home. Thanks to everyone who made it possible for some of our old folk to enjoy a well-earned treat in this lovely garden.
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