For the Love & fond memory of Sam
Helping children with special needs in the Stanford Area
Random acts of kindness, support (& money : ) please.
The Butterfly Centre is finally ready to become a reality!!
Great news item number 1:
We have found the perfect premises, ideally located and with relevant business rights. The premises include ample rooms for therapies, as well as a single garage which would be ideal for movement based therapies such as dance and drama. The garden is large and fully enclosed, and the building and bathrooms are all built to accommodate wheelchair access.
Great news items number 2:
Royd and Lindsay Frith, owners of the building, have their own personal reasons for being highly supportive of the special needs cause. Their charming grandson is diagnosed with Aspergers, and they understand the joy these special children can bring. They have offered a generously low rental and terms to allow us to get started and “feel our way” forward to making this centre a financially viable reality. Royd and Lindsay have also agreed to rebrand the building, currently known as Norfolk Square, to become the Butterfly Centre.
What now?
We have agreed on a one year lease to check viability of the centre, broken down into two six months periods. (June-Nov, Dec-May)
Premises will be available for us to take occupation on 1 June 2015, allowing time for painting and preparation. We would like the official opening on the 20th of July, which is the first day of the third school term. It is also the birthday of Samuel James Kastner, in whose honour this centre will be opened.
For the second half of this year we will build up the centre, initially focusing on afternoon therapies on offer to local children. We will use this time to bring on board the necessary people, and introduce a variety of therapies. This also gives us six months to locate and enrol children (six minimum) to be first class of full-time students at the beginning of next year.
Afternoons will continue to offer a variety of therapies (ideally some which can cater to both special needs and mainstream children, encouraging acceptance and inclusion) which can bring additional income to the centre. The centre will operate on a non-profit basis, but of course we will need to cover certain expenses and salaries.
What do we need?
We have until the end of May to raise R72 000, which will cover the first six months rental and leave some extra for variable expenses.
More fundraising in those six months, as well as the Stanford Stumble at end November, will need to raise enough to cover the balance of the annual rental to end May 2016. By that time we will have a clearer picture of the scope of work the centre can offer, as well as future viability.
What we do know is that no such facility exists in the Stanford area, and that there are many children who can benefit and reach their full potential through early intervention.
Ronel and Jenny from Anima Therapy Centre have offered to help wherever they can with setting up the Butterfly centre, including sharing their curriculum with us. Jenny will help to train teachers when this becomes necessary. The two centres will also get together regularly and have special events to allow the children to interact.
The Butterfly Foundation will now operate under the auspices of Food 4 Thought community projects, a very successful and respected charity organisation in the Stanford area. We will operate under the same NPO number, with our own dedicated bank account. We will be subject to the same audit requirements as Food 4 Thought.
How can you help?
The first thing we need to do is raise money. Previous monies raised by the Butterfly Foundation have gone directly to Anima to help cover their own shortfall. They are now happy to help us go forward as promised.
- We now have our own bank account, so any direct donations would be most welcome
The Butterfly Foundation, ABSA , Hermanus, Account number 9306520181
Let us know if you need a tax certificate or similar, as donations are tax deductible.
- Our next fundraiser is the Greenkeepers Golf Day at Hermanus Golf Club on 15 May 2015. Bianca le Roux is organising it in memory of her father Raymond Burt and all proceeds will go directly to the Butterfly Foundation. We have twenty 4-balls already confirmed, with space for another ten, so please contact bianca@coastlineevents.co.za to book a spot for your friends or business.
- There will be an auction on the day, so please contact Bianca if you have something for a prize or auction item.
- Organise a small fundraiser amongst your friends. It’s amazing how much good people can do. Last year a friend Vanessa raised R6000 by asking for donations rather than presents for her birthday!
The day will soon come when we will need your help in other ways, so if you would like to volunteer your time / expertise/ physical assistance in future please send me a mail jami@stanfordhills.co.za
Thank you so much for all your love and support…I can’t wait for this next part of the journey!
Butterfly blessings to all of you,
With much love,
Jami Kastner
