First Silversands Girl Guides joined girls from across the Western Cape to collect toys and distribute them at educare centres in and around Mitchell’s Plain.
This year Girl Guides Cape West Region celebrates its 90th anniversary and surpassed its target of collecting 900 toys in honour of International Nelson Mandela Day on Monday July 18.
They met on Saturday July 16 at Montevista guide hall to assemble 2 108 donated toys, from members, friends and family for their Mandela Day toy drive.
All of the toys were checked to make sure they were not broken; puzzles were built to ensure there were no missing pieces; dolls were cleaned, dressed and groomed; cars were washed and checked for any mechanical faults; and teddies were wiped down and stitched up.
Regional marketing and communications committee chairperson Tanya Prinsloo said they made sure that any and all donated toys were of a good quality.
“All children deserve a beautiful toy to play with,” she said.
The toys were distributed to 17 different organisations, in close proximity to girl guide meeting venues.
Mitchell’s Plain recipients included Smith’s Educare in Beacon Valley, Feroza’s Educare, Little Tots Educare, both in Lentegeur, and delivered children’s books to the library at Christ the Mediator Anglican Church, in Portland.