East Londoners came out in support of the Reach for a Dream Foundation’s chocolate breakfast on Saturday morning raising about R70000 for the charity.
Held at 2 Swans Wedding and Function Farm, tables were adorned with Quality Street chocolates, Aero bars, pastries and platters filled with bowls of ganache for dipping fruit, marshmallows and wafer sticks. A hot breakfast was also served.
Each seat had a cubic zirconia set in a silver pendant from Dennis Collins Jewellers – one of the main sponsors of the event.
Self-indulgence was the order of the day for the 240 people who attended the breakfast at a cost of R250 each. Ticket sales went so fast organisers said they could have easily sold twice the number.
Guest speaker Derek Watts from Carte Blanche said he first became aware of the Reach for a Dream Foundation when his daughter Kirsty, 23, was diagnosed with a brain tumour when she was 14 years old.
“Initially the doctor said it was earache, but the pain wouldn’t go away, so she went for scans.
“Your whole life changes and becomes a blur. She had chemotherapy and radiation. It was a very long, tough journey,” Watts said.
“Amazingly Kirsty helped us get through all the operations. She only cried once – when her hair fell out.”
About two years into her treatment, Kirsty was approached by the Reach for a Dream Foundation. She wanted to swim with dolphins in Mozambique, but was too weak due to her treatments and could also not risk entering the malaria area.
Instead she went backstage at The Parlotones concert and met US actor Matt Damon at Ellis Park while he was filming Invictus.
“Thank you to the Reach for a Dream Foundation for what they do, it really makes a difference,” Watts said.
“Kirsty got through all the treatments. She’s at the University of Cape Town now, not holding up posters, but finishing a business science degree. She also set up the Kirsty Watts Foundation to help those less fortunate than herself.
“She did later realise her dream to swim with dolphins when we went on holiday to the South Coast. In fact, she got to swim with sharks and even a whale,” Watts said.
Gonubie Baptist pastor Marc Morrell also spoke on how to seize the day.
“Fear has the potential to immobilise you. If your fear is bigger than your dream you’re in trouble, but if your dream is bigger than your fear, well the possibilities are endless.”
Dennis Collins Jewellers have been involved with the chocolate breakfast initiative for the past seven years.
Owner Dennis Collins said: “We know the principle of sowing and reaping.
“As a business we like to focus our attention on helping Reach for a Dream Foundation fulfil the dreams of those who are not going to be around us for much longer because they are dying from an illness.”
Reach for a Dream Foundation East London branch manager Ronell Davel said: “We can’t do this without the support of East London – I would be selling boerewors rolls forever.”
Nationally the foundation needs to raise more than R30-million a year to realise four to six dreams every day.
Reach for a Dream Foundation breakfast a sweet R70k success
Held at 2 Swans Wedding and Function Farm, tables were adorned with Quality Street chocolates, Aero bars, pastries and platters filled with bowls of ganache for dipping fruit, marshmallows and wafer sticks. A hot breakfast was also served.
Each seat had a cubic zirconia set in a silver pendant from Dennis Collins Jewellers – one of the main sponsors of the event.
Self-indulgence was the order of the day for the 240 people who attended the breakfast at a cost of R250 each. Ticket sales went so fast organisers said they could have easily sold twice the number.
Guest speaker Derek Watts from Carte Blanche said he first became aware of the Reach for a Dream Foundation when his daughter Kirsty, 23, was diagnosed with a brain tumour when she was 14 years old.
“Initially the doctor said it was earache, but the pain wouldn’t go away, so she went for scans.
“Your whole life changes and becomes a blur. She had chemotherapy and radiation. It was a very long, tough journey,” Watts said.
“Amazingly Kirsty helped us get through all the operations. She only cried once – when her hair fell out.”
About two years into her treatment, Kirsty was approached by the Reach for a Dream Foundation. She wanted to swim with dolphins in Mozambique, but was too weak due to her treatments and could also not risk entering the malaria area.
Instead she went backstage at The Parlotones concert and met US actor Matt Damon at Ellis Park while he was filming Invictus.
“Thank you to the Reach for a Dream Foundation for what they do, it really makes a difference,” Watts said.
“Kirsty got through all the treatments. She’s at the University of Cape Town now, not holding up posters, but finishing a business science degree. She also set up the Kirsty Watts Foundation to help those less fortunate than herself.
“She did later realise her dream to swim with dolphins when we went on holiday to the South Coast. In fact, she got to swim with sharks and even a whale,” Watts said.
Gonubie Baptist pastor Marc Morrell also spoke on how to seize the day.
“Fear has the potential to immobilise you. If your fear is bigger than your dream you’re in trouble, but if your dream is bigger than your fear, well the possibilities are endless.”
Dennis Collins Jewellers have been involved with the chocolate breakfast initiative for the past seven years.
Owner Dennis Collins said: “We know the principle of sowing and reaping.
“As a business we like to focus our attention on helping Reach for a Dream Foundation fulfil the dreams of those who are not going to be around us for much longer because they are dying from an illness.”
Reach for a Dream Foundation East London branch manager Ronell Davel said: “We can’t do this without the support of East London – I would be selling boerewors rolls forever.”
Nationally the foundation needs to raise more than R30-million a year to realise four to six dreams every day.
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