Georgie surprises kids at legacy centre

11 November 2020

October was National Transport Month as well as the Month of Mental Health Awareness, and with November being Disability Rights Awareness Month (DRAM), the GO GEORGE mascot Georgie needed no excuse to visit the happy youngsters with different kinds of challenges at Legacy Centre in Denneoord.

Legacy Centre’s awareness campaign, “Special-needs children are different, NOT less!”, links in with GO GEORGE’s mission of being accessible to all passengers, including those with different categories of special needs. GO GEORGE will be reaching out to several local organisations and institutions involved with people with disabilities during November.
The Legacy kids were hugely excited when Georgie came through the door and happily joined him in singing, and of course, doing the popular Jerusalema dance.

According to Mariza van Deventer, co-founder of the non-profit organisation BINAH and owner of Legacy Centre, children with special needs experience sensory discomfort when wearing masks. “Children at Legacy are not forced to wear masks, but with a teacher/child ratio of one to three at the centre, it is fairly easy for the teachers to maintain a safe distance between the children,” she said.

After a fun quiz about the buses and Covid safety precautions, the children were delighted to each receive a GO GEORGE goodie bag and reluctantly said goodbye to Georgie and his team.

CAPTIONS:
Group photo:
Georgie remains a firm favourite with his fans at Legacy Centre who love to be photographed with the friendly mascot. A few wanted to know where Georgie’s “real seeing eyes” are.

Hug photo:
Georgie usually has to pose for photos, but this time around, he was simply on the receiving end of a genuine, caring hug.

Georgie verras kinders by Legacy Centre

Oktober was Nasionale Vervoermaand sowel as die Maand vir Bewusmaking van Geestesgesondheid, en met November wat die Maand vir die Bewusmaking van die Regte van Mense met Gestremdhede is, het die GO GEORGE-gelukbringer Georgie geen verskoning nodig gehad om die vrolike jongspan met verskillende soorte uitdagings by Legacy Centre in Denneoord te besoek nie.
Legacy Centre se bewusmakingsveldtog, “Kinders met spesiale behoeftes is anders, NIE minderwaardig nie!”, skakel in by GO GEORGE se missie om toeganklik te wees vir alle passasiers, insluitend dié met verskillende kategorieë spesiale behoeftes. GO GEORGE reik gedurende November uit na verskeie plaaslike organisasies en instellings wat betrokke is by mense met gestremdhede.

Die Legacy-kinders was baie opgewonde toe Georgie by die deur inkom en het entoesiasties saam met hom gesing en natuurlik, die gewilde Jerusalema-danspassies uitgevoer.
Volgens Mariza van Deventer, medestigter van die niewinsgewende organisasie BINAH en eienaar van Legacy Centre, is dit vir kinders met spesiale behoeftes sensories moeilik om maskers te dra. “Kinders word nie by Legacy Centre gedwing om maskers te dra nie. ‘n Onderwyser/kind-verhouding van een tot drie by die sentrum maak dit egter redelik maklik vir onderwysers om die kinders op ‘n veilige afstand van mekaar te hou,” sê sy.
Ná ‘n prettige vasvra oor die busse en Covid-veiligheidsmaatreëls was die kinders hoogs in hul skik om elkeen ‘n GO GEORGE-geskenksakkie te ontvang en het hulle Georgie en sy span taamlik teësinnig gegroet.

ONDERSKRIFTE:
Groepfoto:
Georgie bly ‘n groot gunsteling by sy aanhangers by Legacy Centre wat nie ‘n geleentheid laat verbygaan om saam met die vriendelike gelukbringer afgeneem te word nie. ‘n Paar wou weet waar Georgie se “regte sien-oë” is.
Drukkie-foto:
Georgie moet gewoonlik vir foto’s poseer, maar hierdie keer was hy bloot aan die ontvangkant van ‘n egte omgeedrukkie.