Home owners’ lament

MICHAEL SIEFF

At the Chev where we own several very large (and some very old) homes, and shelter close to 1 000 people, there certainly is always something that needs fixing – and often several things simultaneously.

Maintaining the Sandringham Gardens campus, Our Parents Home, Selwyn Segal and Arcadia, is more than a fulltime job for our facilities team. Keeping ahead of leaking roofs (yes, we’re having our own issues with those), plumbing and electrical repairs, repainting, redecorating and replacing furniture, is a massive feat that requires miraculous intervention.

Fortunately, we have that.

Our Chief Operations Officer, Corene Breedt, has a Facilities Maintenance Programme in place through which donors commit to refurbishment and repair projects even before we embark on them – unless they are emergencies and present a security or safety risk to our residents.

Several years ago, a father and son team, Norman and Michael Stein, set out to use their formidable contacts in the world of contractors to establish a group of people willing to step up when the Chev needs help. They do this by offering their services at reduced rates or entirely free of charge; act as consultants, and donate funds to meet these very essential needs. 

The Stein family themselves are incredibly generous and give of their time, expertise and resources to assist Corene and her team at every turn in the road.

In addition to all this wonderful support, there are many remarkable families in our community and abroad who are happy to commit to refurbishing a garden at Our Parents Home, a room at Selwyn Segal and even a wing at Sandringham Gardens in memory of a loved one.

Our Facilities Maintenance Programme is a lifeline to the Chev because these are repairs that would need to be done regardless. They would add considerable strain to our already overburdened budget, and to be honest, they sometimes still do.  Our aim is to get ahead of the game and be proactive rather than reactive.

Winter is just around the corner and that presents its own set of challenges, so good luck to all homeowners and grateful thanks to our concerned community. It’s because of you that we deal in miracles daily!

May our partnership continue to thrive.

feedback@jhbchev.co.za