Small change makes a big difference

OWN CORRESPONDENT

PHOTOGRAPH SUPPLIED

Pictured Back: Richard de Coster; Graeme Kerr; and Bradley Greenblatt. Front: Trey Cloete-Hatchuel; and Connor Cloete-Hatchuel.

 Lee-Anne Bayer, who teaches grade 5 at Eden, said: “Every day, as part of our outreach programme, two different learners visit every class at Eden to collect small change for this charity. Staggeringly, they have raised over R6 000 in just a few weeks.”

The mission of Rainbows and Smiles is to provide emotional, social and financial support to families and caregivers in need, when a child of that family is diagnosed with cancer. Rainbows and Smiles encourages childhood cancer advocacy and gold ribbon awareness to educate people, in the hope of promoting early detection.

Their principles include creating hope, smiles and relief for families and caregivers of children with cancer.

“It is wonderful to see so many children putting their hands into their pockets and giving us their spare change. Of course, as a registered charity, Rainbows and Smiles needs all the help it can get, so if people have a few rands to spare, log onto www.rainbowsandsmiles.org.za, fill in and donate online,” says Lee-Anne.

Eden Preparatory School’s principal, Lorraine Pretorius, says she is “immensely proud of the spirit and dedication of our young fundraisers”.

Other learner charity drives at the school have resulted in extra funds for Rainbows and Smiles. The grade 5s had a cake and candy sale and decided to hand over much of their profits to Rainbows and Smiles, as did the grade 6s and 7s, who donated a proportion of their Market Day charity initiative to the coffers.

The Rainbows and Smiles outreach programme will run until July 4.