Issue 157

Issue 157 of The Prince Albert Friend is now available as a PDF download.

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Gemeenskap se Warm Hart

- Miems Theron -

In Junie 2009 beland Richard, Pete en Megan Reinders se seun, met sy motorfiets in ‘n ongeluk wat hom amper vir dood agterlaat. Sy gebreekte nek, af arm en verminkte gesig kos hom 28 dae in intensiewe sorg en nege operasies. Hy beleef vele terugslae op die pad na herstel.

In Prince Albert is almal geskok oor die tragedie wat die dorp se gewilde dokterspaar getref het en daar word gewoeker om geldelik by te dra tot die enorme mediese kostes van die seun wat nie ‘n mediese fonds het nie.

Die Thursday Group het met kenmer-kende wil en ywer fondse bygedra; Die Prince Albert Gallery hou ‘n veiling in Augustus en samel R12,000 in, in een aand. Die mense van die Lazy Lizard hou ‘n Kersete in September en voer met die Patchwork Teater ‘n stuk op – hulle kan R7,000 skenk. Die Prince Albert Land-bougenootskap is volgende en neem die inisiatief vir ‘n ete én ‘n veiling op 27 November. Samie Luttig Jnr. en sy ma, Johanna, is die inspirasie en dryf-krag. Sammy Delport gooi ook sy gewig in en help met die reëlings.

Operasie Reinders funksioneer soos ‘n seekat met baie tentakels. Jeanette Marais kollekteer items vir die veiling, Jan-Chris Marais skape vir die braaivleis. Die hotel se bydrae is hul unieke en lekker brode. Baie vrywilligers help bak. Diana Koorts soek almal se beste slaaie en kry ‘n verskeidenheid. African Relish maak ‘n heerlike kerrie en groente. Madri Luttig en Liezl de Klerk staan reg vir ‘n indrukwekkende poedingtafel.

Die reaksie is verstommend. Almal is net bereid om te gee, want hul gemeenskaps-dokter het sy kant gebring vandat hy in Prince Albert kom “aftree” het. ‘n Wonderlike plaaslike orkes, Slamjam, gaan musiek maak! Bodo en sy Kieliebeentjies en Therene Fourie gaan ook help vermaak... Die hele gemeenskap koop kaartjies teen R100 per persoon.

Mark Steyn hanteer die veiling. Hy doen dit uitstekend, want elkeen van die duisternis artikels kry ‘n baas. Die musiekmakers tree op die stoep op en dié wat wil skoffel, skuif uit soontoe.

Almal eet heerlik, koop heerlik en is tevrede met die eindresultaat. Die Landbougenootskap van Prince Albert is trots om ‘n ongelooflike R70,000 te kan bydra tot Richard se onkostes.

Die genootskap wil die Bolanders en elke individu in Prince Albert wat gehelp het om van hierdie funksie so ‘n verstommende sukses te maak, opreg bedank. Dit was ‘n wonderlike poging wat die dorp sienderoë verenig het. Wit en bruin, ryk en arm – almal het bymekaargekom om een van ons dorp se inwoners te onderskraag in ‘n tyd van dilemma en droefheid.

Omgee is nog glad nie uit die mode nie. Prince Albert het dit bewys.

Advice Office Wins Top Award

- Carol Campbell -

Prince Albert’s Advice Office (PAAK) was named the most effective Local Development Agency in the Western, Eastern and Northern Cape at the Social Change Assistance Trust’s (SCAT) 25th Anniversary celebration in Cape Town in November.

SCAT is a Cape Town-based funding organisation that channels money, mostly from overseas donors, to grassroots projects.

Margy Jaftha, the human resource director of the PA Advice Office’s newly formed Section 21 company, accepted a cheque of R20 000 for the people of the town. “It was just hard work and passion, that got us here,” said the elated Jaftha.

Jaftha is right. Committed leadership and dedicated workers have turned the small Advice Office, formed in 1991 with two volunteers, into a thriving business that has created work for 83 people.

At the awards ceremony a spokesman for SCAT said the PA Advice office was an example the rest of the country could emulate. “These people (the PA Advice Office team) do not have more resources than anyone else, they are no different yet through good management and a committed team they are achieving remarkable results.”

The PA Advice Office was intended to ensure food security for the very poor and to give labourers, working on the farms around the town, legal advice. The initiative now runs or is involved in 11 projects, including a community garden on the emerging farm, Treintjiesrivier, a print shop, HIV/Aids home-based care, a nursery school for farm children in the Weltevrede Valley, legal assistance, a youth development initiative – to name a few.

It partners with government departments like Social Development and Health and the Central Karoo District Municipality to ensure people in desperate need don’t slip, unhelped, through the system. It runs on funding from private donors (through SCAT, Lotto, the Office of the Consumer Protector, the National Development Agency) and government. Each project has its own bank account that is administered by a clerk at the Advice Office and which is audited annually.

“We have tight controls and this gives our funders confidence,” says Jaftha. The move to a Section 21 company was a natural next-step for the former non-profit organisation. Political interference was a potential threat to its sustainability and the leadership opted to form a company to protect the staff and ensure the impartiality of the operation.

The Advice Office owns four vehicles and plans are afoot for it to eventually finance the purchase of its own building. It currently operates from a rented house.

“Good leadership and hard, hard work has been the secret of our success,” said Jaftha.

A Christian Perspective

- Linda Jaquet -

In his New Year Message, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, pointed out some home truths that we would all do well to think about. Here is a summary of what he said.

“In the global society we now inhabit, risk and suffering are everybody's problem, the needs of our neighbours are the needs of the whole human family. The truth is that there are fewer and fewer problems in our world that are just local. Suffering and risk spread across boundaries, even that biggest of all boundaries between the rich and the poor. Crises don't stop at national frontiers. It's one thing that terrorism and environmental challenge and epidemic disease have taught us."

"We share the risks but when we share the hopes we really see what bonds us as human beings. We discover our own humanity as we honour the human dignity of others.”

The Archbishop asked that we not be put off by the enormity of the problems around us. “Above all, it's about not losing our hope for change and our love and respect for the dignity of everyone. Let's respond just as we do when our immediate family is in need or trouble. We may be amazed by the difference we can make.”

“God help each one of us make a difference and God bless you all and those you love in this coming year.”

Briewe / Letters

Our Snake Charmer

Early in January I came across a beautiful Cape Cobra that had already found the stoep too hot and had come into the house in hope of finding it cooler inside. I shouted and jumped up and down with no real direction to my fright which is exactly the wrong thing to do. Anton kept his head, followed the shocked snake outside and called out that I should phone Athol. He answered on the second ring and took less than 30 seconds to get to our house. the meantime, the cobra was nowhere to be seen.

We felt a little uncomfortable in our house after this encounter and Athol seemed to think that the cobra may have been in the area for some time. a result of this heightened awareness of all creatures moving at low level, we saw the same snake the very next morning on the stoep in a spot where we might not have seen it had we not been so alert. time I stayed calm and phoned Athol, who went about his business and in less than five minutes he had extracted a beautiful young adult cobra from its hiding place. Were we relieved!

Many things impressed me. respect and gentleness with which Athol handled our visitor was wonderful to see. He answered all our questions and did his best to make us feel less apprehensive. also give Athol full marks for reaction time – I have no idea how he got to us so quickly!

If I could write in verse, I would write an Ode to Athol to thank him for the amazing service he does the snakes and people of our town. He accepts no payment and there is every reason to phone him when a troublesome snake is around. have now memorised Athol’s number and it is also written in large print on the fridge. urge everyone to put his number where it is easy to find and to make use of it.

Ellen Joubert

Thank You

Thank you from the bottom of my heart to each one who came alongside and supported me when Mike so unexpectedly collapsed on his way back from a favourite run into the Karoo veld on Waterkop on 1 December.you for waiting with me and so tenderly helping me step by step into my first night without my husband of almost 35 years.I imagined we had many more years together.

Your support, love and care did not end there.Our sons have been blown away by what we have all experienced in this town.

Thank you one and all from Mavis, David and Sarah, Stephen, Jonathan and Rebecca, Simon and Timothy.

Do Local Children Pester Tourists?

Along with friends, my husband and I made one of our frequent visits to Prince Albert in December. We had a wonderful time, staying at the Saxe-Coburg Lodge with Regina and Dick Billiet.

Being creatures of habit, as usualwandered around the village, stopping for lunch at the Lazy Lizard, returning mid afternoon to Saxe-Coburg for a dip in the pool and a relax, beforedinner at the Gallery Café with Brent.

However, we were very dismayed to be pestered on a number of occasions by children begging in the street, something we have not encountered before in Prince Albert.the main, the children asked once or twice for money, after firmly but politely being told “no”then walked away. On one occasion, an older boy around 14 years of age became very persistent, following us for some distance asking for money and making a nuisance of himself. Although we didn't feel threatened by the boy, it certainly left us feeling uncomfortable.

I spoke to a number of local residents, who assured me there are no “street children” in Prince Albert. Perhaps just a few local youths preying on unsuspecting visitors? What ever the reason for this recent activity, it does not fit well with the Prince Albert image and needs urgent attention.

Prince Albert is a glorious, friendly little Karoo town, where we love to relax and re-charge our batteries, certainly not a place where we expect to be pestered by children begging in the streets.

Mary Page

Give Tortoises a Chance

The journey into Prince Albert is a constant joy to me. It is a gift I have been given - I have the wonderful opportunity of seeing the beauty around me, the changing colours of the veld, the variety of bird life, and the occasional kudu; where else in South Africa do you get this opportunity on the way to work?

Alas, this season (November through January) has been the most harrowing experience for me. I have had the misfortune of having to stop and remove 10 tortoises ranging from hatchlings to old madalas that had been badly damaged by vehicles. How I wished I could just close my eyes, look the other way and travel past them, but I could not leave them on the tar in the baking sun with the crows waiting to feed off them. I took them broken and bleeding with their shells crushed and backs exposed to Vrisch Gewaagt placing them in the shade of the willow tree with the sound of water hoping that this might bring some comfort to them as I feel sure their death is slow and excruciatingly painful.

If you see a large rock in the road do you ride over it - NO you avoid it;
If you see a dog lying in the road do you ride over it - NO you avoid it;
If you see a vehicle stopped in the road do you plough into it - NO you avoid it;
If you see a stray sheep in the road do you hit it - NO you avoid it.

Why is it when you see a tortoise in the road do you RIDE over it and not avoid it? What is an extra 10 minutes in your life; you might just get a kick out of looking around you and seeing the Great Karoo.

Please add to your list of New Year’s resolutions - Give tortoises the right of way!

Lisa Smith

Unhappy Advertiser

I have to admit to some amusement over what in the big wide world, would be termed a hostile takeover of Pam Golding Properties’ long-held position on Page 3 of the Prince Albert Friend.
If I’d been told at any time that Page 3 was so coveted by others, I would immediately have offered to share and rotate it – a suggestion which, although later rejected by the “editorial committee”, I considered wholly appropriate.

However, due to others’ malfunctioning emails and a rather regrettable lack of consultation and transparency, the decision to put Page 3 out to tender was, with somewhat unseemly haste (or so it appeared to me), already a fait accompli.

I would like to put it on record that Pam Golding Properties did not participate in the tender. We feel that once a newspaper (even a tiny country publication such as the PA Friend which does not seem to consider itself part of prevailing professional newspaper advertising practices) has established and published its rates, it does not put them up for auction.

Nevertheless, we wish the new occupier of Page 3, whoever it may be, a large dose of whatever magic Page 3 is deemed to hold, and trust that they have made a suitably generous contribution to the coffers of the PA Friend.

I will continue with good grace to support the PA Friend and will occupy whatever page they think I deserve after my loyal support since 1994.

Elaine Hurford
Pam Golding Properties

(When other advertisers expressed an interest in advertising on page 3, the editorial committee decided, based on sound business principles and to be fair to everyone, to put the page out to tender. The newspaper depends on sufficient revenue to bring out an edition every month and is entitled to determine the cost of advertising on its pages. We appreciate the long-standing support of Pam Golding Properties and are delighted that it will continue. Ed.)

Skoolgemeenskap moet ons hoërskool ondersteun

Die redaksionele kommentaar in die Vriend van Nov/Des 2009, waarin gesê word dat ons eerlik moet begin praat oor die omstandighede by Hoërskool Zwartberg, verdien lof.

My mening is ook dat dit tyd is dat die gemeenskap weet dat die skoolhoof van Hoërskool Zwartberg net minagting en disrespek vir kinders, ouers en personeel se opinies openbaar. Hy toon steeds nie dat hy enigsins akkomoderend of deur-sigtig wil wees nie en behandel die personeel regtig soos minderjariges. Hy laat nie toe dat iemand ‘n inset lewer waarop hy nie krities reageer nie. Hy beskou die skool as sy eiendom, maar die skool is in werklikheid die gemeenskap se eiendom - hy moet dit net bestuur. By verskeie geleenthede het hy gesê dat Zwartberg “sy” skool is en dat dinge nie by sý skool “só” sal gebeur nie. Tot dusver het hy nog net getoon dat hy heeltemal onbekwaam is om dié bestuurspos te vul.

Betalende ouers neem hul kinders weg uit die skool, wat dit op die ou end onmoontlik gaan maak vir die skool om te funksioneer met onvoldoende fondse. Gehalte-onderrig, soos wat tans nog plaasvind, gaan onmoontlik raak met kombinasieklasse wat gevorm moet word omdat daar nie genoeg personeellede is nie. Die skool het reeds een beheer-liggaampos verloor, wat gekompliseerde onderrig in gekombineerde klasse in 2010 noodsaak.

Van ‘n skoolhoof word verwag om die “gom” te wees wat personeel, ouers, kinders en die skoolgemeenskap aan-mekaar hou, maar Zwartberg se hoof oefen slegs ‘verdelende aksies’ uit - soseer dat van die ouers en van die personeel nie eens in sy teenwoordigheid wil wees nie.

Ek glo die vertrouensverhouding tussen skoolhoof en skoolgemeenskap is onher-stelbaar beskadig en indien die gemeenskap nie drasties planne gaan maak nie, gaan die skool ten gronde gaan. Die korrekte forum waardeur gewerk moet word, is die Beheerliggaam en mense uit die skoolgemeenskap sal moet opstaan en hulself beskikbaar stel om standpunt in te neem teen die agteruitgang wat ons nou by HZ beleef. Die skool dien die gemeenskap en dit is hoe ons dit wil behou: Dit is nie die skoolhoof se eiendom om uit mekaar te laat val nie!

Ek bedank die Vriend vir aktuele berig-gewing en vra dat die koerant sal volhou om te berig oor ongerymdhede by die skool, of waar ook al, want dit is belangrik dat belanghebbendes ingelig bly.

Anoniem

(Die skrywer se identiteit en kontakbeson-derhede is aan die Vriend bekend.)

‘n Afskrif van Anoniem se brief is om hoflikheidshalwe aan die skoolhoof, Hoërskool Zwartberg, voorsien. Normaalweg aanvaar Die Vriend briewe wat nie langer is as 350 woorde nie, maar omdat dié aangeleentheid van belang is vir die gemeenskap het ons besluit om ‘n uitsondering te maak en die skoolhoof se antwoord daarop onveranderd en geheel te plaas.

Kyk na die telbord

Hierdie brief dien as repliek op Anoniem se brief soos in u koerant geplaas.

Ek het nog altyd geglo dat briefwisseling, veral in ‘n ope forum soos waar ons onsself tans bevind, positief, opbouend, ontwikkelend en ter verbetering van mens-wees behoort te wees.

Om te kwets, te verneder en bloot kwaadwillig te wees, kan egter ook deel van briefwisseling wees. Ek voel lankal dat die bal nie meer gespeel word nie, maar die man.

Ek het nog nooit op anonimiteit reageer nie, dit maar nog net altyd behandel as van mindere gehalte, benede die moed-van-oortuiging gedagte.

Mens is egter bang dat die algemene leser dalk dié verdigsels wat in Anoniem se brief kwytgeraak word, kan glo, dat ‘n mens verplig voel om daarop te reageer. Uit ‘n persoonlike hoedanigheid en ook omdat ‘n mens bang is dat sulke los praatjies Hoërskool Zwartberg se reputasie sal skade aandoen; ‘n instansie waarvoor ek baie lief geword het en wat ek belang-riker beskou as my eie beskroomdheid.

Dit is werklik jammer dat Anoniem se identiteit nie bekend is nie; ek sou hom/haar graag wou verwys na die talle forums wat by Hoërskool Zwartberg bestaan om op ‘n openlike manier klagtes, uitdagings, probleme en algemene sake te bespreek. Ter inligting: ons personeel en beheerliggaamslede is volledig onderleg in die roetes wat gevolg behoort te word. Sake word openlik bespreek met almal se insae. HSZ het, na ‘n lang personeelsessie, as groep besluite geneem oor die hantering van ons skool in 2010. Daar was geen individu wat daarna sy/haar ontevreden-heid met enige besluit geneem, geopper het nie. Ook ons skool se werksver-deling, rooster, buitemuurse aktiwiteite en alle fasette van skoolwees is bespreek, afgehandel en word geïmplementeer. Die proses was dus akkomoderend, demokraties, elkeen kon sy/haar opinie lug en is as menswaardige gelykes behandel. Anomiem was seker nie op hierdie vergadering nie.

Ja, ek het al per geleentheid gesê HSZ is my skool. Ek is geweldig trots op hierdie skool. Net so behoort hierdie skool aan elke persoon van hierdie gemeenskap wat ‘n positiewe bydrae wil lewer. So is dit elkeen se “my” skool en so is dit óns skool.

Die skoolhoof se sogenaamde onbekwaamheid:

Na slegs een jaar se ondervinding in ‘n baie harde, ongenaakbare en soms onverdraagsame omgewing was dit teen die einde van 2009 reeds baie lekker om alle administrasie, werksverdelings, programme, datumlyste, nuusbriewe en beplanning vir 2010 daar te stel. Einde 2009 het HSZ se leerders se akademiese uitslae óf die vorige jaar s’n gehandhaaf of daar is op verbeter, tot soveel as 15% in ‘n enkele geval. Ons matrieks het ‘n 100% slaagsyfer gehad. Hulle gemiddelde vir die klas was uitstekend. Ons was ook die enigste skool in ons kring wat hierdie welslae behaal het. Gelukwensinge het ingestroom.
Hierdie administratiewe agtergrond en uitslae kon nie tot stand gebring word saam met onbekwame bestuur nie. Die uitvloeisel hiervan was dat HSZ reeds op die eerste dag van skool sy rooster begin loop het en die opvoeders kon begin klasgee. Daar is min skole wat so iets kan regkry. Dit getuig van puik samewerking in ‘n skool, deur elke individu en ook as span.

HSZ, sy personeel en ook die skoolhoof is in 2009 geëvalueer, ook as deel van die standaard skoolverbeteringsplan, soos deur die WKOD bestuur. Hierdie evaluering het aangetoon dat kommentaar wissel van bevredigend tot uitstekend. (Soos o.a. ook deur die personeel geëvalueer).

Tydens ons personeelontwikkeligsessie die begin van die jaar, gegrond op die film “Freedom Writers”, is in die besprekingsessie daarna deur die personeel aangetoon dat hulle reken HSZ ‘n goeie skool is wat geborgenheid aan sy leerders bied en waar ‘n kind steeds mooi hoogtes van menswees kan bereik.

Anoniem wys daarop dat betalende ouers hulle kinders tans uit die skool neem en op die negatiewe gevolge wat daaruit voortvloei. Sy/hy lê dit en die “gom” wat die skoolhoof behoort te wees ook voor sy deur.

HSZ het die eerste keer in 112 jaar die skool se verjaarsdag gevier, op inisiatief van die skoolhoof en met teenkanting. Die idee was om saam met ander aktiwiteite die skooltrots en motivering van alle lede van die skoolgemeenskap aan te blaas. Mnr Chris Gouws het vir hierdie geleentheid navorsing gedoen oor die geskiedenis van ons skool. Een van sy bevindinge was dat HSZ feitlik van sy ontstaan af te doen gehad het met die spook van onvoldoende fondse. Dit was maar altyd ‘n groot faktor. So ook vandag.

Daar is egter vir 2010 twee kontrakposte i.p.v. een soos in die verlede, vir onderwysers aan die skool toegeken, wat geweldige besparings teweeggebring het. Dit kon gedoen word met die handhawing van goeie verhoudings met die WOKD-area kantoor te Beaufort-Wes.

Geld is steeds hierdie faktor, veral as dit by die betaling van beheerliggaamsposte kom. Dit hou egter nouliks verband met die aantal mense wat bereid is om hulle kinders in hierdie skool te hou. Dit is mos elke mens se persoonlike keuse.

Wat Anoniem egter nie noem nie, is dat mense reeds voor my koms hulle kinders in groot getalle na ander skole in die omgewing en op ons eie dorp ge-stuur het. Sommige doen dit na gr 7 ander vroeer of later. Die privaatskole en huisonderrig was iets wat ek hier kom vind het. Ek kan nie vir daardie “gom” pa staan nie. Interessant dat my en my familie se lojaliteit nie hier onder verdenking kan wees nie. My eie twee kinders is immers in hierdie skool, baie van die mense rondom me se kinders nie. Ironies?

Onthou ook asb. dat dat die keuses om beheerliggamposte te behou, aldan nie, ‘n besluit van is wat deur die beheer-liggaam geneem word, dis hulle verantwoordelikheid. So ook die behoud van die skool en die hantering van fondseinsameling en geldsake. Die skoolhoof is NIE hiervoor verantwoordelik nie. Hy hanteer slegs die personeel. Die toekoms van hierdie skool berus dus in ‘n groot mate in sy ouers se hande. Hulle moet ook help planne maak.

Wat egter ook interessant is, is dat na 2009 se goeie uitslae baie van die room van Prince Albert se leerders nou nie meer na ander fokusskole gaan nie, hulle vind hulle weë na HSZ. Ons sien hierdie in die toename in Wiskunde- en Skeinat leerders aan ons skool in 2010....

Ter afsluiting net die volgende: ek dink daar is oorvoldoende bewyse dat HSZ beslis nie besig is om uitmekaar te val nie. Ek vind ook die toenemende toegeneëndheid van Prince Albert se mense teenoor my en my gesin verbly-dend. Dit is vir my lekker om dorp toe te gaan en baie later terug te kom as beplan omdat mense oral aan die gesels geraak het. Dankie dat u ook aan my aantoon dat daar steeds ‘n vertrouingsvehouding bestaan. Ek en my gesin is gemeenskapsmense en is lief vir die Karoo.

Dit raak nou tyd in hierdie skool-gemeenskap om te besef dat enkeles se vendetta ‘n gesin geweldig seermaak. Aan elke individu met persoonlike probleme: u weet waar my kantoor is. Ek is oop, toegangklik en ek luister – maak gebruik daarvan – Anoniem ook! As u enige gedagtewisseling hierna opmerk, maak asb kontak en vind die ware feite uit.
Ek beskou hierdie saak nou as afgehandel Dit raak nou tyd vir die skoolgemeenskap om te sê: stap nou aan, ons wil wérk vir die hierdie skool.

Ons kan nie langer energie inploeg in negatiewiteit nie. Ons wil nou voortgaan om die skool verder te ontwikkel. Hier lê enorme potensiaal. Ek kan nie langer my positiewe energie gebruik om negatiewe mense te voed nie. Tot dan bly ek en my personeel UT PROSIM - tot u diens.

R McKnight
Skoolhoof
Hoërskool Zwartberg

A salute to our generous community

Anybody who thought that community spirit is something of the past should have been at the Prince Albert skousaal in late November 2009. It was a truly moving experience for my family to see the entire community coming out – at no little cost to themselves – in support of our son Richard.

Besides the obvious financial help this meant to Richard and his fiancée Fiona, it meant so much to our entire family. It reaffirmed our belief in the inherent goodness of people, of all backgrounds, when it comes to helping their fellow man. Rich and poor, young and old, friends and strangers – everybody seemed prepared to help.

I’ve said this before, but I’m going to say it again: We, as a family, salute the community of Prince Albert!

No words will adequately thank you all, but we really would like to thank all the organizers of the event and all the musicians – Slamjam, Therene and Bodo. A special word of thanks, too, to Jeremy Freemantle for his spirited exhibition of the ‘Twist’ and to Das who supplied me with the Jack Daniels – and thanks to all those who helped me finish it.

Richard is recovering slowly but surely, but unfortunately his left hand is still virtually paralysed and the prospects of his being able to work are still slight. The funds collected by the community of Prince Albert will be a great help in keeping Richard and Fiona going for the next few months. Thank you all again.

Megan en ek is waarlik trots om deel te wees van ‘n gemeenskap waar almal –tot self vreemdelinge – so gewillig is om te help. Die goeie wense, gebede en boodskappe wat ons tydens Richard se ongeluk gekry het was ‘n voorbeeld van Prince Albert se groot hart, maar die byeenkoms by die skousaal in November het ons verstom!

Soos ons jongste seun Jake (wie ook vir ‘n paar maande in Prince Albert kom bly) dit so mooi opgesom het: “ Ek kan nie wag om deel te wees van ‘n gemeenskap wat so ‘n groot hart het nie.”

Baie dankie aan elke een van julle.

Pete Reinders

Sterreprag oor Prince Albert

- Hans Daehne -

Die Internasionale Jaar van Astro-nomie 2009 is in Prince Albert op gepaste wyse afgesluit met `n observasie van die laaste en baie spesiale sons-ondergang op Gordon`s Koppie.

Daar was 34 persone, wat `n paar entoesiastiese kinders ingesluit het, op die koppie om die verdwyning van ons naaste ster agter die horison en daarna die verskyning van die Volmaan, die tweede een in Desember 2009, dop te hou. ‘n Rukkie later het die Maan ook nog effens dowwer geword nadat die Aarde se skaduwee `n hap uit die Volmaan "gebyt" het – alles saam `n baie rare verskynsel.

Almal het `n kans gekry om `n Galileo- ondervinding te belewe deurdat hulle deur die klein teleskoop na Jupiter en die Maan kon kyk net soos Galileo dit gedoen het presies, 400 jaar gelede. Almal was dit eens, dat ons so iets meer gereëld moet doen.

Om die belangstelling in die heelal wat deur die IYA 2009 baie geprikkel is, lewendig te hou, volg hier nou `n paar interessanthede om na uit te sien in die toekoms.

In Februarie, vergeleke met die vorige maand, lyk die nagtelike sterrehemel nog nie baie anders nie. Die somerkonste-lasies, Orion en Canis major, oorheers nog die hoofaansig, alhoewel hulle tydens die standaard waarnemingstyd, 22h00, reeds effens na die Weste ver-skuif het. Die helder tweelingspaar, Pollux en Castor, kulmineer (bereik sy hoogste posisie) in die Noorde.

In die Ooste styg die Leeu al op wat die koms van die Herfs aankondig. Leo is `n geweldige groot sterrebeeld met die helder hoofster Regulus (“klein koning”) wat op die Ekliptika lê. Die omgekeerde vraagteken of sekel dui die Leeu se maanhare aan en jy moet vir jouself `n op sy rug- liggende leeu voorstel.

Mars, wat op 29 Januarie in opposisie met die Son was ("Volmars"), is nog opvallend helder in die onbeduidende sterrebeeld van die Kreef tussen Gemini en Leo.

Die oorlogsplaneet, wat nou 99.3mil. km van die Aarde af is, word algaande kleiner en dowwer en verloor vinnig sy aanskoulikheid, maar passeer in die eerste derde van die maand die oop sterrehopie Praesepe (M 44) in die Kreef wat `n pragtige verkykerwaarneming sal afgee.

Jupiter neem afskeid van die aandhemel terwyl Saturn in Virgo begin om vroeër saans op te kom.

Nuwe Maan is op die 14de en Volmaan op die 28ste Februarie.

Die ruimteteleskoop Hubble is in 2009 suksesvol gediens en van `n nuwe infrarooi kamera, die Wye Veld Kamera (WFC3), voorsien wat nou die aller-mooiste fotos uit die ruimte oplewer.

Besoek gerus die volgende webwerwe om ons pragtige heelal te bewonder:
www.spacetelescope.org
www.hubblesite.org

In die Suide sien mens nou weer al drie kruise bokant die Swartberge en waardeer ook nog die groot en klein Magellaanse wolke. In hierdie rigting wemel dit van pragtige voorwerpe wat mens met`n verkyker kan bestudeer.

Vir enige navrae omtrent sterresake kan u Hans Daehne nader by 072-641-9657 of by daehne[@]telkomsa.net

Hou die sterre in u oë!

Brett the Vet - Beginnings

In the Beginning signifies the end of something prior to the beginning:
The End allows a fresh start.
Somewhere in the middle is neither here nor there.
Introduction interrupts: Conclusion smoothes the way forward.
Forests are concealed in the seed from an uprooted tree.
Invisible rays vapourise into rainbow arcs from elusive pots of gold.
Spring wanders into winter and then fades from summer; interrupted by New Year.

Starting afresh after hibernation makes complete sense in the northern hemisphere. Dreaming up resolutions in southern climes means retreating from the heat.
Dormancy cold or hot can rejuvenate a weary routine.
The immemorial pattern of planets influencing the cycles of nature is more reassuring than a linear trajectory on the critical path. Renewal occurs every moment of every day (and night) even after fate intervenes.

The origins and adaptations of our domestic animals have been well documented. Developments can be traced to a blurred past where theories replace fact. Pieces of the puzzle become fewer. Gaps and projections fuse recorded history. Our view is never complete. Animal breeds are continuously being created and lost. The only certainty is that every advance guided by the hand of man can result in weakness and inferiority compared with natural selection. Wildness, we know, is saturated with vigour. Genetic variation is the essence of health. Biodiversity is the key to sustainability. And so, we have come full circle in the quest for vitality.

Rethinking past mistakes means first stepping back to survey the scene. Our living creations have been diminished to a pitiful collection of weak, susceptible specimens propped up by advances in western medicine. Apparent progress is inextricably linked with unacknowledged failures. Details of the expanding scale of industrialised livestock farming are concealed and ignored. What began, as respectful reaping of excess has become broad scale institutionalised cruelty. Its horrors are glossed over with fake advertising. Images of happy hens, plucky pigs, and carefree cows luxuriating in lush pastures are intentionally misleading. Past hunter-gatherer necessity preceded agricultural control of food resources. Nowadays the breeding of domestic animals is ignominiously termed ‘product growing’. The current situation is abhorrent to caring humans who are conscious of animal sentience and want to end routine violence towards animals.

Compassionate action has progressed beyond the hessian-draped, incense-infused recesses of complacent vegetarian obscurity. A surging market for healthier, safer, cheaper, kinder, sustainable alternatives to animal products has reached the glossy forefront of lifestyle enhancement. The fearfully imagined protein vacuum has been filled with nutritious innovations:

• Seitan (wheat gluten), tofu, soya meat (textured vegetable protein); and new discoveries like tempeh, quorn, and meatless.
• Milk substitutes extracted from soya, almonds, rice, and oats.
• Non-dairy cheese and yoghurt.
• Replacement products that mimic what eggs do in recipes.
• Recently scientists were able to grow muscle tissue in a laboratory from cells collected from a pig. Commercial production of genuine meat protein without the need for cruelty to live animals is predicted within five years.

For more information go to www.futurefood.org

Suid-Kaap se 96 studentekonstabels kry balkies in Prince Albert

- Denise Ohlson -

Vier van die 96 studente-konstabels wat op 15 Januarie hul veld-opleiding in die Suid-Kaap voltooi het, was onder die vlerk van opleier Jean Viljoen, inspekteur van die Prince Albert Polisiestasie. Hul eerste ses maande het hulle deurgebring aan die Polisiekollege in Oudtshoorn, waarna hul “eerste strepie” toegeken is. Met die voltooiing van die veldopleiding, waartydens hulle in die praktyk te doen gekry het met huisbraak, ongelukstonele, misdaadvoor-koming, ondersoeke en stasiewerk, het hulle hul “tweede strepie” ontvang - saam met die res van die groep wat na Prince Albert gebring is vanaf George, Mosselbaai, Beaufort-Wes, Heidelberg, Albertinia, Knysna en Plettenbergbaai.

Tydens die toekenningsparade op die oop terrein oorkant die BP Garage het kaptein CJ Alkana, Koördineerder van Indiens-opleiding in die Suid-Kaap, die 26 veld-opleiers geprys vir hul harde werk. Daar is flink gemarsjeer voor ‘n geïnteresseerde skare.

Inspekteur Viljoen, wat al sedert 2000 ‘n opleier is, sê drie studente per opleier is die norm, en hy het al 27 veldstudente opgelei. Die eerste vereiste is dat studente fiks moet wees en om tot 8 km op ‘n slag te hardloop.

Vanjaar het hy net een student, Graham Hendriks. Die vier wat pas hul tweede balkie verwerf het, se volgende periode is ‘n probasietydperk van twaalf maande waartydens hulle by verskillende stasies sal werk. Binne sewe jaar kan hulle vorder tot sersant, maar as hulle bereid is om eksamens te skryf, kan dit baie vinniger gaan.

As daar lesers is wat belangstel om opgelei te word as polisiemanne en -vroue, kan hulle skakel met inspekteur Eddie Hattingh by die Prince Albert Polisiestasie. Hulle sal ‘n salaris en behuisingsubsidie ontvang – en opgelei word om liggaamlik en geestelik sterk te staan.

Hoërskool Zwartberg Follow Up

In its November/December 2009 edition The Friend undertook to follow up on in its editorial comment. “Dis nou tyd om eerlik te wees”. We report below on what we have achieved to date.

This month, on our Letters page, we carry two letters that offer different perspectives on what is happening at Hoërskool Zwartberg. We thank both writers for taking the time and making the effort to address an issue that is important in a small town like ours.

The Friend is aware that on two occasions during 2009 the educators at Hoërskool Zwartberg requested the Western Cape Department of Education’s (WCED) assistance to address specific concerns. Ms Ellen Joubert resigned in August 2009 as head of the school’s governing body listing the reasons as attributable to the management style at the school. During September the governing body also requested the Department’s help in resolving their concerns.

To date, there has been no visible action and nothing seems to have changed. Educators and members of the governing body the Friend has spoken to are highly concerned that they have received no feedback on the undertakings made and do not know what is going on.

The Friend’s enquiry to the WCED about its undertakings to the school was referred to the Department’s Director of Communication, Mr Paddy Atwell, who on 19 January informed the Friend: “The Western Cape Education Department is satisfied with the performance of Zwartberg High - for example, the school had a matric pass rate of 100% in 2009. The department will consider all points of view carefully when assessing the situation.” In a subsequent telephone conversation the same afternoon, Mr Attwell told the Friend that the Department wished to add that “the WCED has investigated the various complaints and taken appropriate actions. It has noted great improvements in the administration of the school especially in the hostel.”

The community is proud of Hoërskool Zwartberg with its good academic record and outstanding matric results year in and year out. There are also its achievements in the sporting arena even though we do not have a wealthy school in an upmarket neighbourhood. Many, even those who do not have children in the school, contribute regularly to the school’s fundraising efforts because they believe that a healthy school is important for the sustainability of the town.

At the same time there is concern in many sectors in our community that in the last few months, governing body posts have been scrapped and teachers have resigned, parents have removed their children from the school, and there are fewer fee-paying children this year. This means an even greater lack of funds for the school than in previous years. At the time of going to print, the governing body of the school was not functional and due to hold elections. Another problem is that these facts lead to speculation and division in the community

The Friend knows that there are formal forums where these concerns can be raised and, in the interest of openness and transparency, regards itself as yet one more where issues of importance to the community can be discussed and debated.

Museum News

-Gunda Hardegen–Brunner

By definition a chair is a movable, single seat with four legs and a backrest – but, as with everything in life, you also get exceptions.

Chairs are named

• from the material used: cane, bent wood or plastic
• from the purpose for which they are designed: barber’s or dentist’s chair
• from their construction: a folding or rocking chair.

The oldest chair in the Fransie Pienaar Museum is a riempie chair made in 1840 by F.F. de Wit, brother of Christina de Wit, who was married to Andries Pretorius, the Voortrekker leader.

In the same year the builder Carel Lotz settled in the Parish of Swartberg (Queeckvalleij). The “holbol” (concave/ convex) gables on his Cape Dutch houses are unique.

On 10 February also in 1840, Queen Victoria married the German Prince, Albert van Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, in the Chapel of St. James’ Palace. The weather was dreadful, stormy and rainy.

In December 1901 the Municipality of Prince Albert was proclaimed in the Government Gazette. The first council meeting took place in 1902.

About that time, while the councillors were sitting on spindle–back chairs with bent-wood armrests around a big table (to be seen in the dinning room of the museum), General Jan Smuts and his Commando were sitting on the backs of their horses riding through this neck of the woods with the ‘khakis’ in hot pursuit.

One of the above-mentioned exceptions of the definition of a chair is a patented stroller (walking ring) which belonged to Fransie Pienaar and is now in the bedroom of the museum.

All those who, like myself, were under the impression that strollers are an invention of the plastic–age, take note – this stroller, made out of wood, spring steel, leather and metal castors, was in use for several decades from the early 1900s onwards.

While the children of the Pienaar family were strengthening their muscles in their “loopring”, lots of things happened in Prince Albert. Here are just a few of them:

1908: The Municipality received a £5000 loan from the government to lay on water pipes for drinking water and for 50-60 taps in the streets for those homes that could not receive drinking water.

4 October 1912: The first issue of a weekly newspaper “De Prince Albert Vriend/ Prince Albert Friend” was published in Dutch and English.

1918: The first yearly show of the Prince Albert Famers’ Union was held.

1922: Prince Albert got its first telephone exchange. It was closed at night and calls to the doctor were handled with the help of the police.

1934: The Municipal council gave permission for a merry-go-round on Market square, but directed that it was not allowed to operate during church services.

Up to 1975 J.J. Bothma ran a barbershop in Prince Albert. The male population of the town was raised, lowered, swivelled and reclined in his barber’s chair (now in the museum), while in,-

1953: Kerk Straat was tarred

1960: The Municipality ordered the prosecution of residents who ignored water restrictions.

1972: The Museum was opened in a house on the corner of Kerk and Jan Louw Streets. Tannie Fransie donated her collection of antiques to the town. In the following years the museum’s collection grew considerably and in 1982 it was moved into the former hospital, where it is still today.
When Piet Basson, born in 1918 at Vye-vlei, retired as a Director Superintendent from YSKOR, he dedicated most of his time to his lifelong hobby, carving wood. During his time at YSKOR he often visited the Middle East and he was a frequent guest at the palace of the Shah of Iran. The four ornately carved, leather upholstered armchairs in the museum’s Basson Room show a definite Middle Eastern influence. Piet Basson made these chairs from 1985-88. During those years in:

1985: the rugby field was completed with the help of a donation by the S A Rugby Board.

1987- 88: a pipeline of about 4.6 km was laid from the town to the entrance of the Swartberg Pass.

The newest chairs in the Museum are those bought for the office in 2001 with the money received from the Piet Basson Trust.

In the January edition of the ‘Prince Albert Friend’ in that year plots in the Queeckvalleij Landgoed were advertised for R36 000 - R70 000!

Alltogether there are 42 chairs in the museum and there is one for YOU.

You can choose one of six bentwood chairs made in Vienna in the 1800s to sit on, leaf through books, magazines and newspaper cuttings and find out fascinating facts about the history of the town and its surrounds; the beginning and the end of the Prince Albert Gold Fields for example, or the Ladies’ Shooting Club, and lots more...

(Reference: Prince Albert at the foot of the Swartberg, History Calendar 1762-1995, compiled by Frieda Haak)

Prince Albert Tourism Overview 2009

-Zelia Mullins-

The Tourism Office had its fair share of upheaval during 2009 what with Zelia resigning as manager of the office and then returning to take up the same position later in the year; Chantelle battling with gallstones during her pregnancy and then going off to have her baby; and poor Annelien thrown into the deep end so soon after matriculating from Hoërskool Zwartberg! However, we survived the turbulence and stand ready to greet whatever 2010 sends our way. Here are some of the tourism highlights of 2009.

SA Host Training Workshop

On 15 and 16 April 2009 Annelien Minnies, Tourism Office; Christelene Kammies, Gay’s Dairy; Stephney Hendriks, Prince of Africa; Lydia Louw & Desmond Williams, Swartberg Hotel; Desiree Delport, Onse Rus Guesthouse and Sarie September, Koggelmander, as well as delegates from Beaufort-West, Laingsburg and Murraysburg participated in the SA Host Training workshop held in Prince Albert.

This workshop aims to develop service excellence skills and promotes a culture of customer service in South Africa. All tourism office employees now sport SA Host lapel pins which identify us as SA Hosts and as individuals who have made a commitment to provide excellent service and hospitality. Annelien has also visited a number of member businesses over the last couple of months to learn firsthand from the members about their core business operations and will continue with these visits this year.

Tourist Benches

Prince Albert Tourism purchased eight benches of re-cycled plastic which have been placed by the Prince Albert Municipality at strategic locations in town to best serve the community. These benches were funded by the Central Karoo District Municipality as part of the sponsorship money for the 2008 Olive Festival.

Olive Festival

The highlight of the 2009 Prince Albert Town & Olive Festival held on the weekend of 1 and 2 May was definitely the breathtaking acrobatics and high wire antics of the South African National Circus School and the JazzArt Dance Company's street procession of the animal puppets made by the town's children, culminating in a dance performance that held its audience spellbound.

Both these events have had wonderful spin-offs for Prince Albert - the Circus School came back to Prince Albert during the July school holidays to hold a circus training school for the town’s children. Fifty children attended the training sessions every day for a week, where they were taught various circus skills including juggling and trapeze and acrobatic skills and just as important, they also learned the value of discipline, dedication, hard work and team spirit.

And the JazzArt group will return to Prince Albert this year, from 22 February to 6 March, to host a workshop where local children are taught to make masks and life-size puppets once again culminating in a spectacular parade through Prince Albert and a “grand finale” concert at the Odendaal Stadium coinciding this year with the first “Prince Albert Festival” taking place from Friday, 5 March to Sunday, 7 March 2010.

Tourism Indaba

Michael Upton represented Prince Albert Tourism at the Tourism Indaba in Durban held during May 2009. The Cape Karoo stand comprised the towns of Prince Albert, Beaufort West, Laingsburg, Murraysburg and Matjiesfontein and although the stand was very much a joint effort, Prince Albert stole the show.

Tour operators were astounded with what we had to offer and they swarmed our stall to taste our wines, cheeses, fruits, olive products and to learn more about the activities that we offer. As part of their Indaba marketing campaign, the Central Karoo District Municipality produced a DVD featuring all the Cape Karoo towns. Johannes Jonkers, Regional Tourism Officer of the Cape Karoo region has kindly provided us with a copy of the DVD for each of our paid-up members. We are currently in the process of distributing the DVD.

Our New Committee

Our AGM was held in August and we bid farewell to outgoing chair, Bokkie Botha and EXCO members, Charles Roux and Mark Steyn at the same time welcoming on board the new chair, Di Steyn and EXCO members, Elise Senekal and Linda Jaquet. The priority of the new executive committee was to improve relations with our local municipality and secure funding for the Tourism office. Significant in-roads have been achieved with the assistance of the new municipal manager, Juanita Fortuin. We now have regular municipal attendance and Edwin September, municipal representative, Willem Jansen, council representative and Pedro Oliphant, IDP coordinator were nominated to serve on the Tourism EXCO and attend our monthly EXCO meetings which has resulted in better communication and relations.

Saturday Market

The Tourism Office has taken over the running of the Saturday Market and we are very pleased with the increase in number of regular stallholders and visitors alike. The Tourism Office has purchased colourful table cloths and tables, chairs and umbrellas are arranged in the centre of the market each week for visitors to enjoy country life at its best!

The Tourism Office has applied to the municipality for the upgrade of the market facility and John Whitton has drawn-up the plans for nine additional permanent stalls to be erected similar to the three already in use. We hope to have a response from the municipality before the end of January so that the new stalls can be erected in the next few weeks.

Festivals and Visitors

A very successful Harvest Festival was held in the “markie” on 21 November 2009 and this is sure to become a regular event on the Prince Albert events calendar. Due to the success of the Harvest Festival, we have decided to hold a similar “Summer Fruits Festival” in February when fruits such as grapes, prickly pears, figs, pomegranates etc are in abundance. We also had a record number of stalls, including crafters from Leeu-Gamka participating in the Christmas Market on 12 December 2009.

We had a number of groups visit Prince Albert which made a significant contribution to the economy of the town i.e. Rally to Read, Arno Botha cycle tour, Cape Pioneer Trek and the RSG 4x4 group. The good news is that all these groups will be visiting Prince Albert again this year.
Training

Two Grade 12 Tourism students, Willemiena Malan and Andrew Miljiet at Hoërskool Zwartberg responded to our invitation to receive training at the Tourism Office on Saturday mornings. This training is sure to prove invaluable to them when they leave school at the end of 2010 as they are receiving wonderful exposure to English and also learning about their town, its many attractions and how to deal with visitors. We hope to continue with their training and include enrol more students in the programme during 2010.

Welcome Campaign

Prince Albert Tourism participated in the annual CTRU (Cape Town Routes Unlimited) Welcome Campaign on 18 December 2009. Vehicles entering and leaving Prince Albert were stopped by local Police officers at Albert’s Mill and were then either welcomed or thanked for visiting Prince Albert by the tourism office staff. Our mayor, Cllr Benjamin, took 15 minutes out of her busy schedule to join us in welcoming visitors to town.

The aim of the Welcome Campaign is to welcome visitors to the sights and tastes of the Western Cape, in our case Prince Albert,them information to entice them to explore the uniqueness we as a destination have to offer. The support from our members was overwhelming and we would like to thank the following businesses: Central Karoo District Municipality; Lah-di-dah; Onse Rus Guesthouse; African Relish; Prince Albert Post Office; PA Motors; Kleinerus Guest Cottage; Aardvark Guest Cottage; Pep Stores; Astro Tours; Renu-Karoo; Koggelmander; Home Hardware and CTRU.

Conclusion

I would like to end by saying that even though tourism experienced a turbulent 2009 we managed to achieve a lot and we look forward to enjoying some of the ripples that the 2010 FIFA World Cup is sure to create!

An Ionan Sojourn

- Ailsa Tudhope -

Some years ago I came across the Iona books of Christian prayers, daily readings and meditations, whose origins lay in the Iona Community. This ecumenical Christian movement was founded during the depression in 1938 by George MacLeod, then a parish minister in the poorest area of Glasgow. Young ministers in training and unemployed men worked from the 1930s to the 1960s to rebuild the Benedictine Abbey on Iona, and in doing so discovered a common life together.

There has been a Christian presence on Iona since 563 AD, Saint Columba established a monastery which was destroyed by Viking raiders in the 9th century. By the 12th century Benedictine monks had built an Abbey there but the Scottish Reformation of 1560 put an end to their presence. Yet the island retained its identity as a sacred place and the 20th century rebuilding has resulted in it once more becoming a site for pilgrims and seekers after spiritual values. Current visitors to the Abbey and the MacLeod Centre on Iona range from 9 to 90 year olds from all over the world. Each week about a hundred arrive to experience a week living, worshiping and working as members in community.

The permanent staff of 23 and up to 30 volunteers clean and maintain the buildings, cook meals, provide music and arrange and conduct services, run the shop, craft room and administration and welcome their guests who share these tasks, go on a pilgrimage round the island, attend a Ceilidh, sail to Staffa (inspiration for Mendelssohn’s Fingal’s Cave Overture), attend “Big Sings” and workshops, and share in the twice daily services in the Abbey.

As I planned a trip to England to visit my daughter I hoped to spend a week on Iona but discovered that I might volunteer to work there and with the encouragement of Andrew, the Albert College family and the congregation at St John’s I sent in an application and was accepted to work in the Iona Community office for seven weeks.

Iona is a remote island. I travelled by train from Glasgow to Oban, meeting seven other volunteers en route. We took the ferry to Craignure on Mull, boarded a bus for the drive along the single lane track to Ffinnaphort (highland cattle, sheep and pedestrians have right of way but motorists need to be aware that the bus does not recognise them!) and then boarded a ferry for Iona, which we could see, just across the Sound.

The Volunteer Co-ordinator was there to meet us and took us on a whistle-stop tour of the Abbey, Welcome Centre and MacLeod Centre, leaving us with an hour to unpack in our dormitories before joining the staff and current guests at supper. I shared a five bed dorm with an Argentinean teenager, an American and an English girl who had both just graduated and a retired school teacher. Two other dorms, a common room, kitchenette and two bathrooms made up the “vollies’” accommodation. Meals were shared around tables for eight, in the MacLeod Common Room with 45 guests and 10 permanent staff members, the others being based at the Abbey which accommodates another 50 guests.

At 9.00pm we attended our first evening service in the Abbey, each evening brings an opportunity for embracing the space God gives us in the created world. The services blend the familiar and the innovate, encouraging participation, using every day language and experience and drawing on the music and prayers of the world Church and the folk traditions of Scotland. So we travelled through a weekly cycle of Gathering Space, Quiet Space, World Space, Healing Space, Creative Space, Table Space (Holy Communion) and Inner Space.
The following morning saw us in church again for the daily Morning Service which ends with everyone going out to their places of work. Mine was the reception in the Welcome Centre and Bookshop. Four days after I arrived, Catherine, the permanent staff member in reception, went on two weeks leave; it’s a good job I’m a fast learner! I found the work most rewarding, I met just about everyone who came to the island, got to know some of the islanders and was involved in general administration, preparing material for services and handling queries.

The Iona Abbey Community works alongside the Iona Island Community, which is made up of 130 people, mostly crofters (farmers) and guest house owners. During my visit the two communities gathered every week for a Ceilidh with Scottish dancing and storytelling; for a wonderful bonfire and firework display on a beach on Guy Fawkes Night; for tea at one of the hotels before it closed for the season and some of us joined the islanders to remove the village hall ceiling in preparation for installing a new one. The islanders worship at the local Presbyterian Church, joining the Abbey congregation for special events such as Harvest Festival, when the eight young school children performed a play and dressed the altar with lobster creels, nets, fleeces and vegetables, reflecting the variety of the local harvest.

It is possible to see the whole beautiful island from Dun I, the hill behind the Abbey. Sandy bays, pebble beaches, marshes, high cliffs, rugged rock faces and the common grazing land called the Machair provide wonderful contrasts for walkers. There are few cars on the island, a couple of golf carts and only one road. One of my favourite walks was to the Bay at the Back of the Ocean with its pebble strewn beach. The peace was palpable and I found it strange to have travelled so far just to discover tranquillity akin to that of Prince Albert.

The extremes of weather were magnificent. I experienced sunny, balmy days when the sea looked like a turquoise lake, raging gales which prevented the ferry from leaving port, quick squalls with their inevitable rainbows and ice cold nights as November arrived.

The hospitality was all-encompassing, we became part of the community and were able to share our faith, work and lives with people from many traditions: Presbyterian, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Quaker and Anglican from the UK, Canada, the USA, Malawi, Argentina, Slovakia, New Zealand, Australia and yes, even a lady from Potchefstroom via Canada – what a surprise it was for us to find ourselves speaking Afrikaans on Iona.

It is a tradition, come rain or shine, for the entire staff and volunteer group to accompany guests directly from a Leaving Service to the ferry to send them off with a Mexican wave as they head across the Sound to Mull.

As I took that voyage away from the island I looked back with my “vollie” friends on the assembled staff seeing us off. I don’t know if I will ever return to Iona but my time there has enhanced my spiritual life and I have brought ideas and resources home which I hope will be a blessing to St John’s and Prince Albert. Living in community isn’t always easy; I found it both a challenging and enriching experience. I shall continue to revisit my memories, turning them over in my mind, like the colourful pebbles I brought home from that distant beach at the back of the ocean, which lie, cool and smooth, in my hand.

Vanuit Huis Kweekvallei...

- Magriet Engelbrecht -

Hier aan die begin van 2010, wil ons graag op hierdie manier ‘n paar “gevleuelde woorde” van dank uitspreek teenoor elkeen wat gedurende 2009, op welke wyse ookal, betrokke was by die doen en late van Huis Kweekvallei.

Danksy die hulp vanuit ons gemeenskap, was ons in staat om die volgende uiters suksesvolle Fonds-insamelingsprojekte te loods:

• Die Olyffees stalletjie (waar ons stalletjie aangewys is as die beste kosstalletjie danksy Huis Kweek-vallei se puik sagopoeding en kerrie en rys!!), waar ons die pragtige bedrag van R12 848 ingesamel het.
• Die Straatmark Basaar met ‘n inkomste van R23 041.
• Verskeie kleiner markies is ook gehou, wat ons in staat stel om vir ons inwoners, asook ander eensames en minderbe-voorregtes, ‘n Kerspartytjie te hou en geskenkies te gee.

Hiermee dan ons opregte dank en waardering:

• Aan almal wat donasies in kontant (R13 272); asook
• Groente; Vrugte; ander produkte; komberse; linne en klere gemaak het;
• Aan elkeen wat vleis geskenk het vir ons Olyffees stalletjie en Basaar;
• Aan almal wat hard gehelp én gewerk het om van ons Fondsinsamelings-projekte ‘n sukses te maak;
• Aan dié wat bereid was om te kollekteer vir ons Funksies – en sommer so ‘n paar lyste volgemaak het!! Ons waardeer dit opreg.
• Aan u wat bydraes tot ons Kerspakkie-projek gemaak het: Dit word baie waardeer. Ons inwoners het heerlik partytjie gehou op 15 Desember, saam met ander bejaardes uit ons gemeenskap.
• Ons is baie dankbaar vir die pragtige nuwe TV wat geskenk is vir die Te-huis, asook vir die dames wat gereeld vir ons inwoners DVDs kom wys.
• Ons wil ook graag die donateurs, wat ons voorsien het van ‘n BAIE GROOT hoeveelheid wegdoenbare doeke (R20 514) vir ons Staatspensioenarisse, baie opreg bedank. Hierdie skenking is verál vir ons baie waardevol, aangesien die Staatspensioenarisse nie die doeke kan bekostig nie, en die Tehuis dus die onkoste daarvan moet dra.

We would also like to extend a HUGE THANK YOU to the ladies of the Thursday Group for their involvement with the residents of Huis Kweekvallei. Thank you for caring, and helping them to develop their mental skills, as well as keeping their bodies fighting fit with the exercises!!!

Dan is daar ook elkeen van u wat stil-stil u deel vir ons Tehuis doen: Baie dankie!! Al gaan dit so stilletjies, kan u seker wees dat ons dit raaksien en baie waardeer. Ons wil u as die vriende van Huis Kweekvallei ‘n wonderlike 2010 toewens!

Ten slotte net die volgende gedagte:
“Vriende is soos onsigbare engele wat ons op ons voete help as ons vlerke vergeet om te vlieg.”

Give the Poor Tortoise a Drink!

- Hugh Forsyth -

The other day I was in the company of some good citizens of Prince Albert, eating dry bread and drinking tap water, when tortoise rescue stories started cropping up. Many folks had anecdotes about how they had found a large tortoise – bergskilpad – you see, wandering down Klipstraat, caught in the gutter, trapped in a fence, or in some other way at a loss.

Then they had loaded up the noble tortoise into the back of a vehicle and drove it back to its natural habitat – a barren and parched piece of veldt. The poor tortoise, maybe forty or fifty years old and weighing about twenty kilograms, arrived where it had started before, thirsty tired and very irritated. And the tortoise said: “Ag my liewe land! Hier het ek gister begin”. (Alle bergskilpaaie is Afrikaans sprekend, onthou dit.) “Nou moet ek dorptoe stap om water te gaan soek, en dit is te ver”.

My good neighbour, Val van der Riet, told me recently that she had found a big round tortoise in her back yard. Val has an unblemished record of nursing and caring and immediately recognised the need of the distressed creature. She gave the thirsty tortoise dish after dish of water which the grateful wanderer slurped up until it had almost exhausted her six free kiloliters, then thankful and replete, strode back up Gordon Koppie for the enduring edification and amusement of visitors and residents alike.

Recently Mr Canning did the good deed of taking a tortoise off the street and back to the veldt. For this good and possibly misguided act of charity, the tortoise urinated all over his pants. Tortoises have their own way of expressing displeasure.

If you find a bergskilpad in town, before you do the Good Samaritan act, give the poor creature a drink. That’s what it came for.

Belastingbetalersvereniging onder sterk leiding

- Denise Ohlson -

André Jaquet, afgetrede maar hoogs gesoute diplomaat, is pas verkies tot voorsitter van die Prince Albert Belas-tingbetalersvereniging.

Met gepaste insig sê hy: “Ek weet daar was al verskeie pogings om weer ‘n belastingbetalersvereniging op dreef te kry, maar ek het groot hoop vir die toekoms. Vorige pogings het moontlik gefaal omdat persoonlikhede gebots het. Ek en my kommitee is egter reeds aan die werk in ‘n gesindheid van konsensus en deursigtigheid. Ons wil verteenwoor-digend wees en die hele gemeenskap betrek.”

Wat André bemoedig is dat die munisipaliteit se Raad en munisipale bestuurder vatbaar is vir ‘n verhouding van samewerking eerder as konflik.

Hy beklemtoon: “Ons vereniging is ‘n waghond wat gaan sorg dat die mense van Prince Albert die heel, heel beste diens kry. Elke persoon wat byvoorbeeld vir water en elektrisiteit betaal, gee geld aan die munisipaliteit en daardie fondse moet tot voordeel van die hele dorp bestuur word.”

Hy beklemtoon dat dit nie goed genoeg is dat raadslede net elke vyf jaar uitgestem kan word as hulle nie presteer nie. Deur by die belastingbetalersvereniging aan te sluit, verwerf jy ‘n stem om geskilpunte dadelik aan te spreek.

Onder leiding van ‘n man wat geskool is om te onderhandel, te konsulteer, te be-raadslaag en te oortuig, gaan daar hard gewerk word om van Prince Albert ‘n ware suksesdorp te maak.

Om aan te sluit by die Belastingbetalers-vereniging kos net R20. Skakel Barbara Castle by 023 541 1613 om lid te word.

Die vereniging kom die eerste Dinsdag van elke maand om 09h00 byeen by Pastoriestraat 21. Alle lede is welkom om die vergaderings by te woon.

Ratepayers Relaunched

- Hugh Forsyth -

On 8 December 2009 the long dormant Prince Albert Ratepayers’ Association (RPA) was relaunched at a well attended meeting in the SPS Luttig Hall at the showgrounds.

Johan Senekal chaired the meeting and after giving some background to the previous Ratepayers’ Association said that it was generally accepted that there was a need for property/home owners to have a voice in matters that concern them in the running of the town, hence the renewed interest in the RPA. The Chamber of Commerce represents business interests and the RPA would represent property/home owners and residents.

Senekal explained that in order to vote in a new committee the constitution of the association required paid-up membership. This requirement resulted in hasty payments with volunteers taking in money and writing out receipts and those who had left their purses at home borrowing twenty bucks from whom they could. In short time over forty ratepayers were eligible to vote.

Nominations for office bearers were taken and the formalities of voting and counting followed. The new RPA committee comprises André Jaquet – chairman, Hugh Forsyth – vice chairman, André Goosen – secretary, Barbara Castle – treasurer, with Stephan Schoeman, Willem Hinkman and Johan Senekal as committee members.

Since then the committee has met twice to discuss operating objectives and functions, and will keep Prince Albert residents informed of progress and matters of interest by means of regular articles in the Friend.

100% op 100

- Denise Ohlson -

Maggie Hendriks, gebore Jacobs in die Murraysburg distrik, het op 1 Januarie 2010 haar honderdste verjaarsdag gevier saam met vriende en familie in die Sydwell Williams Sentrum in Prince Albert. Die geleentheid is geborg deur die munisipaliteit en daar is vir 80 mense ‘n heerlike tweegang maaltyd voorgesit.

Maggie het pragtig gelyk in haar groen rok en kleurryke krale. Sy is ‘n vrolike mens wat nog lekker kan gesels, goed hoor en sien, met haar eie stel pragtige tande glimlag. Al kan sy nie meer loop nie, kla sy nie. Sy het ‘n rolstoel en haar mense kyk mooi na haar. Boonop eet sy nog graag en lekker!

Maggie se man Piet en haar enigste seun het haar al ontval, maar haar dogter, sewe kleinkinders, vyftien agterklein-kinders en een agter-agterkleinkind (wat pas een jaar oud geword het) hou haar goed aan die gang.

Sy bly al by die dertig jaar in Prince Albert en voel tevrede en geborge hier. Sy is ‘n lid van die Nuwe Apostoliese Kerk en gemeenteleier Pieter Kamfer sorg dat sy gereeld by haar huis met Nagmaal bedien word en daaroor is sy baie dankbaar. Pieter wil burgemeester Magdalena Benjamin en haar Raad bedank dat hulle hierdie gedenkwaardige mylpaal so spesiaal gemaak het.

Ster-student in Kerngeneeskunde

- Denise Ohlson -

Alicia van Zyl, dogter van Anna en Johan van Zyl en oud-leerder van Hoërskool Zwartberg, hou Prince Albert se naam hoog daar in Tygerberg Hospitaal. Sy het pas begin met BTech Kerngeneeskunde nadat sy einde 2009 haar Nasionale Diploma in Kern-geneeskunde met vlieënde vaandels behaal het by die Cape Peninsula University of Technology.

Haar dosent by die Skool vir Radiologie, Thea Eiselen, beskou haarself as “bevoorreg” om só ‘n spesiale “ster-student” te kon gehad het.

“Ten spyte van 'n groot beproewing met haar broer se ontydige dood tydens haar eerste jaar, het Alicia net sterk bly staan,” prys sy. “Alicia is 'n ongelooflik standvastige en gemotiveerde student wat die gawe het om haar oortuigings oor te dra aan mede-student en medemens. Sy weet verseker wat sy wil hê en doen alles in haar vermoë om dit te kry. Sy is 'n wonderlike voorbeeld van 'n gebalanseerde jongmens. Niks is ooit te veel moeite nie en ‘n mens kan altyd op haar staatmaak.”

Alicia het in al drie haar studiejare uitstekend gevaar, beide akademies en prakties. Me Eiselen is oortuig dat BTech nie die einde van haar pad in die professie sal wees nie.

Die amper tasbare empatie wat sy vir haar pasiënte toon en die feit dat sy hul belange so op die hart dra, gee haar ‘n baie spesiale plekkie in baie mense se lewens. Sy is 'n populêre en lojale vriendin en Tygerberg hospitaal het al amper haar tuiste geword!

Hierdie dogter van Prince Albert gaan nog berge verskuif…‘n doktorsgraad is haar ideaal! Vir haar geld die mooi spreuk: We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.

Cool Karoo Cooking Classes

- André Jaquet -

African Relish Recreational Cooking School has had the brilliant idea of combining forces with others in our village to provide courses to all who want to learn more of the secrets of good cooking. For their December master class, the idea was that the traditional hot turkey and flaming Christmas pudding might be delicious on a cold winter day in the Northern Hemisphere but that something else would be more suitable in the Karoo.

So, in mid-December African Relish’s resident chef, Vanie Padayachee and another of our celebrity chefs, Bokkie Botha, hosted a course on how best to prepare a Karoo Christmas dinner worthy of such an important time of the year.

The response was good and on the appointed day ten of us from all over South Africa met over a light lunch and spent the afternoon learning about basic kitchen skills. I was fascinated by the demonstration of knife skills which turn out to be one of the key ingredients in preparing a meal that looks as good as it tastes. Later, Colleen Penfold gave us very imaginative ideas of how to decorate the table for special occasions

The next morning was spent at Gay’s Dairy and at the local Saturday market selecting the best and freshest produce for a Karoo Christmas dinner. We then returned to the kitchen where we started preparing that evening’s dinner. Never in a thousand years did I expect to see earnest faces and hear people expressing themselves in a whole range of noises, from squeals of delight to angry cursing.

Normally restrained folk were going through quite unimaginable contortions, trying to de-bone, prepare and braai butterflied legs of lamb. At the same time we were expected to be making and grilling traditional roosterkoek. Just try doing that while also making ricotta cheese from scratch, preparing a hot tomato sauce and aubergine rolls with courgette, peppers and Ricotta cheese.

As always, contrasts are a daily feature of life in Prince Albert and on a counter close to the hot ovens we attempted to produce freezing chocolate, coffee and nougat semifredo desserts and cutting ten different types of fruit for a truly different fruit salad. More than one of us was caught wiping sweaty foreheads with the muslin bag that had just made the ricotta!

Our real reward came when we sat down and the food we had made tasted so fresh and original and quite out of this world. It certainly gave me an idea of what goes on behind the scenes at quiet and serene good restaurants. As I looked at my co-chefs, I swear I heard the unspoken words: “Move over Jamie Oliver: here we come!”

Christmas Cheer for our Children

- Abbie Leeraar -

As the 500-odd young children supported by the BADISA soup kitchen lined up outside the Baptist Church hall in North End one morning in December last year with their caretakers, they had no idea what was in store for them inside. Nor did the many curious onlookers who gathered around to see what was happening at the hall.

Apools, the church caretaker, along with Ben of Neighbourhood Watch and even the police were on hand to make sure that all wentand according to plan.Meanwhile, inside the hall the ladies of the Thursday Group had been busy preparing for the Christmas Party with whichwere going to surprise the children. It took a while before all the children were inside and seated in their different groups, but once everybody had their place, the festivities began.

Delene Coetzee had kindly lent us her Christmas tree for the occasion and as it shone in the sunlight and set the mood, the children listened in awe as Melissa from BADISA explained to them why they were there and what awaited them for the next two hours.

Brian Finch started the fun by singing “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” and once everybody (including Ione Auerswald!) was clapping and singing along, Bodo Toelstede dressed in his clown costume, performed some amazing feats of magic and other tricks.

All the activity made people hungry, so next on the agenda were hotdogs (thanks to the O.K. Bazaars for donating the rolls), cooldrink, and ice-cream.

Refreshed, the next thing that happened was the appearance of Father Christmas (alias Jeffrey Armoed of the Municipality). Angela Ashworth had managed to track him down and persuaded him to give of his time and energy to the party.

Dressed in the red suit with all the trimmings he did a really wonderful job, giving the children a talk about the spirit of Christmas and handing out a packet of sweets prepared by the Thursday Group members, to each child. They also received a present of fruit donated by Herman Olivier. And so the party came to end, with each child greetedFather Christmas at the door, with good wishes for the Christmas season.

It all started with the ideathe finance from a kind benefactor who wishes to remain anonymous - but asked the Thursday Group if they would organise a party for the children. This was the first time the ladies had organised such a big event. It required a lot of organisation, time, energy, good will and generosity which all the people mentioned (and more) kindly gave in order to help us make the party the success it was.

Thank you! Your gifts were well received and much appreciated.

Traffic Offenders Beware

- Linda Jaquet -

The arrival of Susan Christiaans on 1 February will increase the capacity of the Prince Albert Municipality’s traffic department. Ms Christiaans will be employed on contract until the end of August, when four recently appointed junior officials, currently undergoing training at the Gene Louw Traffic Training College at Brackenfell, will take up their duties in the Municipal area.

The Prince Albert Municipality currently employs three traffic officials who are responsible for policing the Prince Albert Municipal area, covering Klaarstroom, Leeu-Gamka, and Prince Albert Road. This includes the N1 national road.

In March, the traffic department will move into what are now the BADISA offices in the red brick building opposite the OK Grocer. In its new premises the traffic department will be authorised to hold learner driver’s licence tests and issue learner’s licences. The department will also renew driving and PDP licences.

There are plans for the building to become the “transport hub” for the town. It eventually will house the fire department – the City of Cape Town has loaned the Municipality a fire engine and will train the officials who operate it.

Book News

Prince Albert Public Library

This book I recommend...

Night Music is the recently published sixth book of British author Jojo Moyes. A great story line with credible characters and unusual plot puts Moyes’ book on par with those of Maeve Binchy and Rosamunde Pilcher.

“For her the house was a lifeline. For him it was revenge...” says the front cover subtitle and that explains the story rather well. The main “character” in the book is a dilapidated lakeside house in Norfolk, with a Georgian redbrick façade and Moorish elements. Not yet a ruin, it has mouldered into dereliction through neglect when it comes, unexpectedly, into the possession of Isabel and her two children.

Isabel is principal violinist with a prestigious London orchestra, when her French husband dies and leaves her “in the cactus” so to speak. Unless Isabel parts with her magnificent Guarneri violin, the nanny, private schools and their Maida Vale house must go. “I don’t do figures,” Isabel announces when confronted with a tottering pile of unopened accounts. So it’s up to her efficient 15-year-old daughter Kitty and eight-year-old son, Thierry, mute since his father’s death, to sort things out.

Meanwhile a local Norfolk family, certain the house would be left to them, are less than delighted at this turn of events. Throw in Byron, a man with a mysterious past and empty future, along with Nicholas, a desperate developer and you have all the ingredients for a great read.

Especially if you’ve ever had the builders in...

Review by Barbara Castle-Farmer

Jason Claassen

4 September 1989 – 7 Januarie 2010

- Alf Joubert -

Daar is ‘n klop aan die deur en ‘n verwese figuur staan voor my. Ek weet instinktief daar is fout, want die man voor my ken ek as ‘n immer glimlaggende, vriendelike mens. Hy kom gou uit met sy kwelling en dit roer my tot in my binneste.

Daar was ‘n woordewisseling en die uiteinde was dat ‘n geliefde seun gesterf het.

“As hulle my net betyds laat weet het, was hy nou nog met ons...” Die asse en die miskiens borrel uit. Ek probeer verstaan, maar sien dit is nie die regte verstaan wat hy soek nie. Ek troos sover ek kan en bied “menslike” hulp aan...

Dan, seker die seerste vraag wat wat enige ouer ooit moet antwoord: “Wanneer word jou kind begrawe?” Daar is nog nie finaal besluit nie, maar dit sal seker by die naweek wees, ons moet nog alles by die “gate” regkry.

Die gate? Ja, die graf moet gegrawe word. Moet julle dit dan self doen? Ja. Ek is geskok, in mý wereld werk dit al lankal anders. Laat ons nie sommer die oorskot veras op ‘n onbepaalde tyd nie? En dan, waneer dit ons “pas”, hou ons ‘n “gedenkdiens”. Daar en dan besluit ek dat ek die teraardebestelling gaan bywoon. Glad nie uit nuuskierigheid nie, nee, ek wil weer by die mens van mens-wees uitkom - as dit nog moontlik is?

***

Dit is tien minute voor die erediens begin. Daar voor die skool kom die stoet aan. Daar is voetgangers en voertuie. Vinnig beweeg die roudiensgangers die VGK in en kry hul sitplekke. Ons staan soos een man op toe die oorskot van Jason Claassen ingebring word.

Die kerk is stampvol. Dit is ‘n skroeiend warm somermiddag. Ek besef dat ek by die begrafnis is van iemand wat diep spore in mense se harte getrap het. Die hele rugbyspan is daar.

In die voorste ry sit Abraham Mars en Christina Mars, sy grootmaakouers vir bykans twintig jaar. Vir my voel dit of elke siel in Noordend daar is om hulle te ondersteun, hulle wat vir Jason van sy eerste jaar af versorg en liefgehad het. Sy pa, Johan Claassen van De Doorns, is ook hier om te ondersteun en ondesteuning te soek.

Die diens is klaar en ons beweeg uit, iemand vra of ek “gate” toe gaan. Ja, ek gaan. Ken ek die pad? Ja, ek stap saam. Dié wat motors het, bied nie ‘n geleent-heid aan nie, hulle lees my reg. Miskien, net miskien, kom ek as ‘n nuwe mens terug van die “gate” af.

Dankie Jason, dat ek jou vir ‘n paar uur “geken” het. Hoe gelukkig het jy baie ander gemaak toe jy gelewe het. In die dood het jy vir my ook iets gegee en ek bid dat die wat agterbly ook ‘n duur les geleer het.

Michael John Aggett

16 March 1946 – 1 December 2009

Michael Aggett passed away suddenly on 1 December. A retired medical doctor, he and his wife, Mavis, moved to Prince Albert just under two years ago. Both, each in their quiet way, immediately became involved in the life of the town.

Six days before his death, Michael and Mavis had returned from a memorable trip to the USA. There, they visited one of their five sons, his wife and their first grandchildren – three-month old twins.

Michael loved the Karoo and a keen runner, he could be spotted, usually at dusk, jogging with an easy stride and lost in thought through the town, along the outlying gravel roads and often on his favourite route on Waterkop.

Michael was a gentle, studious man, who had a wide range of interests. He loved gardening and at the time of his death, was preparing research for his PhD in the Department of History at the University of Cape Town (UCT).

Ken Jouself Beter!

- Jacolise Botes -

Baie mense glo hulle is òf `n introvert òf `n ekstrovert en dink dit is genoeg om te sê hulle ken en verstaan hulself; so ook hulle lewensmaats, kollegas, kinders, vriende en familie. Uit hierdie verwysingsraamwerk wil ons dan ook dikwels ander voorsê, kritiseer, vermaan of beoordeel. Het u geweet dat `n introvert ook`n baie spontane persoon kan wees, en dat `n ekstrovert ook stil en ernstig kan wees? Persoonlikheid of karaktertrekke is baie meer omvattend as net 'n eienskap van introversie of ekstroversie.

Die Almagtige Skepper het die mens so uniek geskape dat daar altesaam 16 spesifieke en gegronde Persoonlikheidsgroepe bestaan. Dit kan saam groepeer word in vier Oorhoofse Persoonlikheidslyne. Interessant genoeg is elk van hierdie vier Hooflyn persoonlikheidsvorme tiperend van die skrywers in die eerste vier Evangelieboeke van die Bybel: Mattheus, Markus, Lukas en Johannes.
Mense vra dikwels wat is die waarde daarvan om `n professionele persoonlikheids- assessering te laat doen. Daar is dan so baie kitsmetodes. Anders as `n goedkoop lukrake kitsmetode is die KTS II- model ontwerp deur `n internasionaal bekende Sielkundige, David Keirsey, wat oor `n tydperk van 50 jaar menslike gedrag bestudeer het.

Hierdie model gee `n korrekte weerspieëling van `n persoon se langtermyn gedragskenmerke, terwyl ander dikwels net die ‘gevoel van die oomblik’ vasvat en weergee; of `n idee weergee van hoe die persoon dink hy is, of dit wat hy graag wil wees. Die vraagstelling in die assessering is van so `n aard opgestel, dat sou `n persoon dalk `n meningsfout maak oor homself, dit weer op een of ander wyse gemeet word, om die antwoord korrek te verkry.

Nog beter om te weet, is dat hierdie 16 persoonlikheidstipes soms vermeng om jou eie spesifieke persoonlikheid of identiteit te verklaar. En dan kom die lekker… jy leer wat die ideale beroep vir jou sou wees, of indien jy wel in `n spesifieke beroep is, watter spesialiteit of ‘nis’ jy moet volg om werksvervulling i.p.v werksfrustrasie te ondervind.

Ook watter persoonlikheidsgroep die ideale lewensmaat sal kan wees vir jou, wat jou spesifieke plek of leierskapsrol in `n groep moet wees; (almal van ons is een of ander leier)- ook waarom jy onderpresteer in jou werk of skoollewe, waarom daar dikwels konflik of probleme in jou verhoudings is, en hoe om dit reg te stel; hoe om mense binne jou verhoudingslewe beter te verstaan, en ook waarom jy sekere gebeure op jou lewens-pad ervaar as `n krisis en watter sterk punte in jou is om dit positief te kan oorwin.

Die Jungiaanse Sielkunde vind dat getroude pare `n defnitiewe neiging toon met sekere persoonlikhede wat na mekaar aangetrek word, so ook in studies oor huwelike wat die langste gehou het. Ons natuurlike aantrekkingskrag is na `n Persoonlikheidstipe wat ons dominante persoonlikheidsfunksie deel, maar wat dit in `n teenoorgestelde rigting gebruik. Daarom word hierdie model ook suksesvol aangewend vir verloofdes en getroude egpare (selfs oud getroudes) wat die vonk in hulle huwelike wil behou. Party van ons wat nie die ideale “match” was nie, leer hoe om harder te werk daarvoor.

Die KTSII- model het sowat 20jr gelede `n deurbraak gemaak in Amerika met die bevinding dat ADHD by kinders dikwels verkeerdelik gediagnoseer word en dat skadelike psigotropiese medisynes onnodig gedrink word, terwyl die spesifieke gedrag soms net `n kenmerk was van `n bepaalde persoonlikheidstipe wat nie reg verstaan en hanteer word in die ouerhuis of by die skool nie. Dit word ook al meer `n algemene praktyk dat besighede persoonlikheids- assesserings gebruik in die keuringsproses by aanstellings of bevorderings. Maatskaplike Werkers en siel-kundiges binne die SAPD, Akademiese Hospitale en groot staatsdepartemente, gebruik hierdie model suksesvol.

Wat is meer bevrydend om jouself werklik te leer ken, soos God bedoel het jy moet wees? Uniek, met `n plan en `n rede hoekom juis so… en dan hierdie “blueprint” vir jou lewe voluit te gaan uitleef omdat jy Sy Naam wil eer en positief bydra om aan jou Skeppingsdoel te beantwoord?

Meer besonderhede skakel
Jacolise Botes
0235511831/ 0845812553

Nuwe Apostoliese Kerk saai mosterdsade

- Denise Ohlson -

Uit Kaapstad maak die Nuwe Apostoliese Kerk ‘n dekade lank al ernstig bemoeienis met hul gemeentelede hier in Prince Albert. En nie net lidmate van die plaaslike gemeente word bevoordeel deur die Silversands Distrik van Kuilsrivier se twee-weeklikse besoeke nie: die hele dorp is altyd meer as welkom om hul pragtige musiekuitvoe-rings gratis by te woon.

Onder leiding van apostel Alistair Kriel bring areakoördineerder Paul Williams graag kore en orkeste na Prince Albert. Hul mees onlangse besoek was tydens die Oesfees toe hulle musiek gemaak het by die Saterdagmark en almal welkom was om te kom luister. Die middag het ‘n gekombineerde koor van 110 stemme saam met orkes en orrel in die kerk opgetree en soos altyd, was die deure vir almal oop en die banke vol.

Pas het Paul vyftig blokfluite by die kerk afgelewer en 32 kinders tussen ses en sestien het Saterdagoggend, 16 Januarie, hul eerste lesse gehad. Daar heers groot opwinding onder die nuwe musikante met die belofte dat Paul binnekort ‘n ensamble van vyf blokfluite na Prince Albert gaan bring sodat almal kan hoor hoe die volle reeks blokfluite klink – van die babafluit tot die reuse oupagrootjie!

Paul vertel die area van De Aar het ‘n paar jaar gelede begin met een enkele instrument en vandag het hulle hul eie orkeste met 121 instrumente, so Prince Albert is bevoorreg om sommer met 50 te begin! Dink net waar kan dit kan eindig… Sara Sass en Johnny Kammies gaan elke Saterdagogggend les gee.

In Maart bring Paul en sy medewerkers ‘n mannekoor van 100 stemme. Op Sondag 31 Januarie word die optrede van die Tafelsig Distrik se koor en orkes om 10 vm na die Nuwe Apostoliese Kerk in Prince Albert gebeeldsend.

Al die musikante is selfopgelei en as hulle op reis gaan, moet hulle self betaal vir vervoer en verblyf - so ook die veldwerkers.

Afgesien van musiek maak en onderrig, fokus veldwerkers ook tydens hul besoeke op sielesorg, word Sondagskoolkinders geleer en gevoed, senior burgers kry advies, ongetroude paartjies word begelei en die jeug word ondersteun.

Plaaslike gemeenteleier Pieter Kamfer is trots op die kerk wat al 55 jaar lank hier bestaan en vandag 652 lidmate sterk is. Hy glo dat kinders die kerk se toekoms is en moedig ouers aan om hul kinders te ondersteun en leiding te neem deur saam met hulle kerk toe te kom.

Garden Club News

- Sue Goosen and Dawn Viljoen -

End to a productive 2009

The Prince Albert Garden Club members and their visitors ended the year with a relaxed bring-and-share at committee member, Linda Jaquet’s home on Pastorie Street on the evening of 2 December. Over a glass of wine, everyone’s know-how and recall of the Garden Club’s activities in 2009 was tested in a “know your gardening and plants” quiz.

In a close contest, Lorna Verran was declared our most well-informed gardener and was presented with a fascinating book on Aloe Vera, donated by Neil Dickson. Members also watched a short promotional DVD on the innovative Alzola solar cooker produced by Elnatan in Calitzdorp.

Garden Club Plant Sale

Happy gardeners quickly snapped up bargains at the Garden Club’s first Plant Sale at the Saturday Morning Market in December. Early shoppers were able to choose from a diverse selection of healthy and strong plants which had been propagated by our members. From Karoo orchids to aspidistra, herbs, succulents, no less than six varieties of lavenders, trees and flowering shrubs, all were suitable for the extremes of the Prince Albert climate.

Thank you to all members who donated plants and time to make the Plant Sale a success, without your efforts there would not have been a sale. Special thanks also to the committee, who priced, sorted and transported plants beforehand.

The Secret Life of Bees

Our 2010 programme starts with a talk by Peter Lawson on bees and beekeeping on 3 February at the Jans Rautenbach Schouwburg.

The meeting starts at 15h00 and is open not only to members but also to everyone who would like to learn more or has questions to ask about this fascinating little creature that is vital to our very existence, from someone who has been working with bees for over 50 years.

There will also be a tasting of Peter’s Karoo Gold honey.

To learn more, call Sue Goosen on 023 5411 558.

Fred Bassett now a Penfold!

- Henriette Liebenberg -

The Bassett Hound who was rescued from the Bush Pub late last year has landed with his butt, or is it mutt, in the butter.

Fred has found a new home with William and Colleen Penfold at the Country Store. And although he is a high maintenance dog, both Colleen and William tend to his daily health routines with love and dedication.

Fred has a heart condition and his eyes and ears need constant care. But as he told the Friend in an exclusive interview, what more could he have asked for? He has two humans who adore and love him and he gets a lot of attention from people visiting the Country Store.
Fred says that he sometimes misses his friends at Henriette’s place where he stayed after being rescued. His former owner has been charged with neglect and will appear in court in February. The Friend hopes to have an update in the next issue.

Fred has thanked everyone who donated money and food during his stay at Henriette’s. He says he would like to invite all for a cuppa but he is still training William and Colleen to see to his every whim! So hang in there folks!

Fred will soon host a regular column in the Friend -Ed.

‘n Wit Kersfees in London

- Miems Theron -

Toe ons ons toer na Marisa, ons dogter beplan het, het ons geweet dit gaan ‘n wit Kersfees wees en ons was baie opgewonde daaroor. Ons wou dit immers beleef wat al die Kersfees-kaartjies in die verlede vir ons ingeprent het: Takbokke met Kersfeesbome wat nederig raak onder die vrag sneeu.

Ons land op Kersdag in London en ons meisiekind wag ons in met haar rooi Kersfeeshoed en rooi jas. Sy berei vir ons ‘n regte egte Suid-Afrikaanse Kersmaal voor met Vark en Skaapboud. Ek verwonder my aan die afrikaansheid daarvan , ‘n dosyn jong mense sit en vier fees om die tafel in Afrikaans.

Ons werk volgens ‘n stywe program en elke dag is ingepak met wonderlike ondervindinge. Ons belewe London in sy volle glorie: Die Duck Tours, ‘n boot wat ook op land ry, neem ons deur London. Ons sien die Buckingham paleis met sy wagte en die koningsgesin wat soos ingehoktes agter die toe vensters opereer. Foeitog dink ek! Die Big Ben en London Eye en Tower of London waar ons Cullinan Diamante pryk. Die aand gaan kyk ons La Boheme in die Royal Opera House – Net om die plek van binne te sien was ‘n belewenis!

Oor Sky nuus kom toe die onheilspellende tyding: die ergste sneeu in 30 jaar. Oppad sien ons van die “Grit-lorries” wat sand en sout op die pad strooi om die sneeu te laat smelt. Hulle stoot die rybane oop sodat die motors kan ry.

Ons is gelukkig, want ons het ons eie toerleier en ons eie motorbestuurder toe ons die pad na die noorde vat. Ons bestemming is Skotland. Name in atlasse word nou ‘n werklikheid. Ek wil amper soos Laurika Rauch sing: Oxford, Windermere, Shap, Lake Districts, Edinburgh en Inverness.

Ons haal Edinburgh en beleef die Edinburgh’s Hogmanay 2010 die 31ste Desember. Ons gaan vroegaand na ‘n klassieke konsert in die St Giles Katedraal. Ons is van die 80, 000 mense wat op die brug staan en kyk hoe 4.5ton vuurwerke die hemelruim omskep in ‘n blomtuin vol kleur.

Ons gaan nog hoër noord na Inverness en soek die Loch Ness Monster by Loch Ness. Gelukkig nie gekry nie. Ons vlieg na Du-blin in Ierland. Ons gaan na Galway-Bay per motor .

In Dublin lê ons besoek af by die Trinity College en besoek die Book of Kells. In die Long Room wat omtrent 65m in lengte is, is daar 200boeke wat dateer uit die jaar 1743. Die Book of Kells is geskryf in die jaar 800 en bevat die 4 Evangelies wat in Latyn opgeteken is in die wonderlike Kalligrafie-skrif. Die boeke kan gesien word. ‘n Wonderlik erfenis vir die nageslag.

Ons vlieg terug London toe en sluit ons toer af met : ”The Lion King.” ‘n Fantas-tiese musiekblyspel; en om die “mechanics” agter elke dier wat beweeg te sien, het my oë laat rek!

Vir ons was dit ‘n wonderlik toer en die laaie in my geheue was volgepak met die wonderlikste herinneringe.

Vakansieprogram ‘n sukses

- Henriette Liebenberg -

Die vakansieprogram wat die afgelope Desember en Januarie vir minderbevoorregte kinders aangebied is, is as ‘n groot sukses bestempel.

Die program is ‘n jaarlikse instelling deur die munisipaliteit en volgens Theresa Hendricks, die programkoördineerder, is bykans R24 000 bestee.
Aktiwiteite wat aangebied is, het inge-sluit nasionale vigsdagherdenkinge, ‘n besoek aan die Gevangenis, bergklim, straatsokker, ‘n Kersboompartytjie, swemklasse en ‘n Idols-kompetisie.

Met die Kersboom-partytjie is kos aan 850 kinders verskaf en geskenke aan 500 uitgedeel. Daar was te min geld vir meer geskenke.