Mandela Day at Menlyn offers three ways to give back

“We want to give more than 67 minutes on Mandela Day,” says Andrea de Wit, marketing manager of the centre, so we’ve organised three separate events to maximise our efforts.”

Picture: Supplied

Cupcakes for children

Seventy children from Love with Wings and the Kids Care Trust have been invited to a wonderful fun-filled day in partnership with Checkers Hyper and Menlyn. The children will decorate their own cupcakes at Checkers, with the help of the South African Air Force, which has teamed up with its favourite charities to supervise the kids for the day. The children will then enjoy lunch at the Arapaho Spur before visiting The Fun Company for some awesome gaming. The kids will be given backpacks filled with goodies to remember their great outing.

Dogs for adoption

The centre has also partnered with Wollies Animal Shelter and Wuma Dog Food to help find homes for abandoned dogs from the shelter. There will be 67 dogs up for adoption at Cavendish Court, and all necessary paperwork will be provided to start the adoption process. Wuma will give a free bag of dog food for each new furry friend. “We encourage our customers to donate dog food, blankets and toys to Wollies, as every bit helps,” De Wit notes.

Repairs, safety kits for cyclists at intersection

Many people from nearby Mamelodi township use bicycles to get to and from work and need help with keeping them on the road. A branded gazebo sponsored by both Menlyn Park and Bruce Reyneke Cycles will be set up at the intersection of Lynnwood Road and Solomon Mahlangu Drive, a spot these bicycle commuters cross daily. “Bruce Reyneke staff will be on site to help with repairs and also hand out safety kits to the first 67 cyclists and for those bicycles that cannot be fixed, a few new bikes will be given away.”