Hooked on Blankets
The word “crotchety” could not possibly have been applied to the beaming group of ladies at Garden View/Tuinsig Retirement Centre. There is, however, a roundabout etymological connection between the hooked instruments these ladies use in their leisure activity of crocheting and the rather uncomplimentary term which has come to describe irritable people who get ‘hooked’ on trivial annoyances.
The Berea bevy at the old age home had been plying the tools essential to their hobby to fashion blankets and scarves, and were full of glee when they presented their handiwork to The Domino Foundation’s Marketing Manager, Karen Brokensha.
Buffy Bestwick, Frail Care Manager at Garden View/Tuinsig, explained how the group had come to make the winter woollies for Domino: “An elderly gentleman had been found in a confused state wandering in the Musgrave area. When his photo was posted on Facebook, he was recognised as a retired Durban High School teacher who was living very frugally in a flat on the beachfront.” Through the school’s Old Boys’ Association, a crowd-funding initiative was begun to finance his being placed in Garden View/Tuinsig. Buffy added that a member of the association, Mickey Wilkins, was linked with Domino and a connection between the NPO and the old age home made.
The story became an even greater heart-warmer when the donated items were directed to Red Light, Domino’s anti-human-trafficking programme. From time to time, in partnership with Every Nation Church’s street outreach - the entire complement of residents (staff and GBV survivors) of Domino’s safe house, Othandweni (Place of Love), spend time with women on the streets of downtown Durban, praying with them and then leaving them with a small gift and a sandwich. On their next trip, they will be taking the scarves and blankets to help keep the chill away for the ladies they meet.
Karen said that the whole story had been one of what she calls the #DominoEffect: “Starting with an elderly man lost on the streets and finally leading to women who are forced through circumstances to earn a living on the streets…a whole section of the community comes together and many lives are impacted in one way or another.” She invited others who would like to help underserved people on Domino’s programmes keep warm to call 031 110 7030.
