JCS Course triggers an early Christmas

By CO Maryke Lynn

On 2 November 2005 a group of fifty-six very excited children met a 17 Squadron Oryx with big smiles as the Oryx delivered an assortment of cargo, including stationery, cleaning materials, pasta, used tyres and many other goodies, to their school in the Waschbank area.

During their first week on course, whilst the members were on their way to a Big Five Adventures team-building exercise in this region, the children from the Umzamo Primary School stole the hearts of the 22 members on the Junior Command and Staff (JCS) Course 03/05. “They stood at the fence and waved at us as if to encourage us for the next few weeks ahead of us,” said the “falcon” of the course, Maj Madumbo.

A few weeks later, when asked to agree on a community project to make a positive impact on society, the vote was unanimous in targeting this school, since the members realised that farm schools are often overlooked when it comes to charity in less-privileged communities.

Plenty of hard work went into finding sponsors within one week, but this opportunity to do some good was accepted with open arms and the sponsors indicated that they would like to get even more involved in future.

Brightly coloured jumping castles and a mouth-watering “braai” added to the pleasure of the day and the children thanked everyone who made this day a reality, with an energetic display of their traditional dances.

The Officer Comanding the South African Air Force College, Col P.S. Lembede, Directing Staff of the JCS Course 03/05, the SAAF College Corporate Communication Officer, Capt E. Beukes, together with the sponsors, Glaxo Smith Cline, Tiger Brands, Waltons Stationary, Chet Chemicals, Pick ‘n Pay, Spar, Vastrap Bande, Jumping Jack & Jills and ABI Coke, all did a splendid job in making this project the huge success that it was.