CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION AT RON SMITH CARE CENTRE

By 7am on Friday, December 18, the kitchen, main dining room, hall and outdoor courtyard at Rand Aid’s Ron Smith Care Centre were a hive of activity as staff from all departments prepared for a Christmas Show and Braai for 350 residents and staff.

About 25 housekeeping and care staff joined together to present a show of traditional and contemporary Christmas Carols interspersed with dance numbers to Mambo #5 and Vulindela. The show team also danced with the residents in the audience to a Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton Christmas song and ended up wishing everyone a Merry Christmas with a lively rendition of Feliz Navidad.

“I’m very proud of the show staff,” says Debbie Christen, Manager: Recreational Programmes for Rand Aid, who conceived and planned the show with Hilda Mabaso, Housekeeping Supervisor at Ron Smith Care Centre.

“They had less than a month to learn and practice the material, but they all did brilliantly and the residents enjoyed the show so much.  We wanted to bring the story, spirit and joy of Christmas and present it with love, and I think that’s what we did,” Debbie says.

Cedar Park resident Jill Jones comments, “Every item presented was so enthusiastically received and appreciated by the audience. At one stage, members of the Dancing Team, scattered into the audience and danced with the residents and when the melody ‘Vulindela’ was played, everyone was invited to dance, whether to sway in a wheelchair, keep time, or go onto the floor with a carer or member of the Dancing Team. This interaction was enthusiastically received and greatly enjoyed. Memories of our dancing youth were revived and came quickly to the fore. Laughter and smiles were on everyone’s faces.”

With the smell of braaing meat wafting through the air, it was now time for a hearty lunch of chicken and wors, pap and gravy, and salads and rolls, with Eskimo pies for dessert.

Peter Barker, resident from Lakeside, said, “A heart-felt thank you to Rand Aid management for the great effort that was made organising the Christmas lunch. It was a tremendous effort, and as I am one of the few residents with the means and ability to do so, I must express my appreciation and admiration for the work done by staff from the most senior to junior.”

Staff members in cheerful red and white put on quite a show for residents.

 Keeping the entertainment in-house .... Staff members presented a wonderful show for residents.

After the morning's entertainment, lunch was enjoyed in festive surroundings.

Team spirit ... camaraderie and enthusiasm from staff members made for an enjoyable event.

Smiles abounded at the Christmas lunch.

Staff members show residents their moves.

Song and dance served as a pre-lunch warm-up.

Greg Scholtz and Gail Harmer enjoy a dance.

Nomsa Shabangu dances with Beryl Armitage.