Ron Smith Care Centre newsletter: October 2023

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Colourful heritage and spring celebration

The community of Rand Aid’s Ron Smith Care Centre gathered outdoors in their numbers to celebrate Heritage Month and the beginning of spring.

 The beautiful Woodlands garden and recreational area were awash with the vibrant colours of flags from around the globe – to represent all residents’ heritages – and bright yellow sunflowers in hessian pots. Residents and staff were beautifully attired in traditional dress or flowery spring outfits. The ladies were offered a flower crown, while the gentlemen were given a SA flag headband to wear.

Residents and staff were treated to a performance by DJ Frans van Aswegan and singer Shams Muller and the Rodeo Girls (Lientjie and Christine), who kept everyone entertained with lots of vibrant music, singing, and line dancing. Soft rock, country and western, Afrikaans and popular songs from the 60s, 70s, and 80s were on the playlist and created a festive vibe. Residents and staff were inspired to dance and move to the lively beat. The Rodeo Girls also taught the staff a few fun line dances and danced with some of the residents.

The staff, representing SA’s rainbow nation, were excited and proud to be able to showcase their cultural dances, as well as a few dances from other genres. They danced to Waka Waka, Achy Breaky Heart, Jerusalema and Vulindlela.

Their message was:

We are a rainbow nation

We are noisy; we are colourful; we are bright

We are proudly South African!

The entertainment was followed by a delicious South African braai, which included chicken, pap tart, Greek salad, and pumpkin fritters – nicely finished off with a peppermint crisp tart.

LOOK AT THE VIDEOS TAKEN ON THE DAY. VISIT THE RAND AID FACEBOOK PAGE AND SCROLL DOWN TO FIND THE POST - https://www.facebook.com/RandAidAssociation

 

Happy dancing.

Comments on WhatsApp family groups:

 My mum had the best time!  Thanks so much to everyone who made this time so special!

 

This is incredible, thank you to all involved. It just lifted my heart to giant big smiles!

 

Amazing and so appreciated. You went to so much trouble. Thank you!

 

What a fabulous event!  Well done to all involved and thank you for making it so festive for the residents.

From the invention of penicillin to ChatGPT, Irene has seen it all in her 102 years

 

Not many people have witnessed the transformations that Irene Watson has – after all, she was born just after the end of World War I.

That was before penicillin, bubble gum, nylon, and aerosol cans were invented. When she turned 102 on September 8, the resident of Rand Aid’s Ron Smith Care Centre in Edenvale could say she had just lived through the mass introduction of artificial intelligence applications, like ChatGPT.

Despite the many technological breakthroughs unfolding around her, Irene enjoyed an old-fashioned celebration – a birthday cake and tea enjoyed in the company of loved ones, fellow residents and staff.

Irene was born in Darlington, England, in 1921. On completing her education at the Catholic Immaculate Conception School, she started work at Binns Departmental Store in the accounts department.

She married Reg Watson in 1944 and had two children, Trevor and Fiona. In 1957,  the family emigrated to Southern Rhodesia and settled in Bulawayo.

“These were the best days of their life,” says Irene’s daughter, Fiona Martin.

Fiona says after much consideration, her parents decided to emigrate to South Africa in 1982 to be nearer their children. They initially lived in Kempton Park, then moved to Port Elizabeth, before moving into Tarantaal Retirement Village, where they were among the first village residents.

“My mom was an avid reader, loved doing crossword puzzles and joined the Toast Mistress’s Club in Kempton Park.”

Sadly, Reg passed away in 2001 and son Trevor in 2016.

Irene continued to live independently in her Tarantaal home until 2016, when she moved to Ron Smith Care Centre.

“She is given the best care and attention,” says Fiona.

Irene’s daughter-in-law Kate and granddaughter Sarah both live in America, but Fiona lives close by, in Benoni, and visits Irene regularly.

Irene Watson (102) with Ron Smith Care Centre employees Bianca Dlomo and Lindiwe Hhlope.