PROTEA HOTEL CAR PARK

09h00-13h00

Come Buy or Sell

ALL WELCOME
Bring a table-cost K50, 000 to sell your goods.

Proceeds go to Acacia School
· Jumping castle

· Face painting

· Food and drinks for sale

I arrived at school at 9 o’clock. My bags were as heavy as an elephant! When the safari truck set off, I was so excited. It would be my third time to see painted dogs. I couldn’t tell you the whole trip there so I’ll tell you what happened when we arrived at the camp.

It was not what I had expected. A man called Wilton greeted us and took us to the dining area. He told us what Iganyana meant (Painted Dogs) and then showed us to our dormitories which were three beds in a thatched rondavel. I was in room two. It was lovely. We had lunch, watched a wildlife video on painted dogs and then went to bed.

We woke at 05.45, picked up our buckets and went to get hot water for washing. It was so cold I nearly had icicles coming from my hair! Breakfast was delicious and then we split into groups to start our activities.

The activities were; game drive, finding information on the computer about wild dogs and guided tour of the information centre, environment quiz, learning how to use a dart gun and going to see the wild dogs.

Each group took it in turn to do the activities. We all had a log book to record what we saw. Miss Stephenson also gave us a scrap book so we could write a diary at the end of each day.

When we were walking back from the computer room, we saw the wild dogs. They were making funny greeting sounds to each other, what excitement! On the game drive we saw a collared lion, loads of ellies, wildebeest, sable and zebra. It got very cold though and we were glad to get back to the camp for dinner, hot chocolate and toasted marshmallow kebabs on the fire.

This is the most exciting bit!!!

Learning about how they dart the wild dogs so they can fit them with a collar, was really fun. We all had a go at shooting a dart at a target. Then we looked at the collars. We also saw lots of wire snares that people used to trap gazelles, only the wild dogs get caught as well. This was very sad. One of the wild dogs at the sanctuary had a broken leg and another had a broken back. The others have formed a pack and will be released soon. I n the evening we had a real treat! The Iganyana Dance Troupe came to perform for us. We had great fun and all got up to dance. This completed our last day.

We left the camp after breakfast and said goodbye to everyone. I was really tired. We got through the Zimbabwe and Zambia borders okay and arrived back at school. It was a wonderful trip.

By Kalai Shenton

Teams of 5 people (max)
Entrance fee: K 100,000 per team
Spectators: K 10,000 p.p. at the door

Cash bar available, snack platters for sale.
Start Time: 19:00
Date: 20th February 2010

To enter contact Orla: chundukwa@gmail.com

A very special thank you to the Friends of Acacia (Parent/Teacher Association) who are constantly giving of their time and effort, to raise funds for our expanding School. Friends of Acacia are always looking for new members to “share the load” so if you feel you can help in any way please Contact Claire on 0978-545821 or Nico on 0979-498747. Also huge thanks to the Board whose ceaseless work moves Acacia forward.

Some of the funds raised have been used to upgrade Acacia’s ITC suite.

As you can see from the photographs, the children are already benefiting from the four new computers. Shortly, we will be networked, courtesy of Tony Falcon, to enable us to offer interactive teaching. The previously donated computers, which were invaluable in the past, are now obsolete, but are being put to good use in the ELC classrooms to enable our younger children to learn keyboard skills and mouse control. Thank you everyone. I hope you will continue to support Acacia School. Regards, Kathryn

The money required in advance was too slow in arriving and work had to be suspended and plans changed.

The money wasn’t available to erect the roof and the cement mixer was “repatriated” temporarily, so work ground to a halt.

Just before Christmas we got the cement mixer back and the slab was laid during a break in the rains.

Business commitments and spare time constraints, not to mention lack of outside help, has pushed the Board Members on the Works Committee to hire a team of builders, who, this week started work on the walls of the first two classrooms, and foundations for the roof pillars.

The brick laying should now come on apace and we are hoping that by the end of February we will be erecting the trusses and purlins and by mid-March we should have the roofing sheets in place.

Then, again, it will depend on cash available as to the next step

Zesco is still dragging it’s feet so we still have no power for the bore-hole pump, so we are still having to truck in water for building.

However thanks to the rains, the trees – “Trichelia Emetica” that Ali Shenton planted along the driveway last year are flourishing and she is busy planting a “prickly” barrier(latin name will be advised) on the edge of the plot on the Nakatindi Rd.

The next events coming up will be a christmas market and a river cruise on the African Queen in december. Stay tuned…

At the recent meeting between the Board of Governors, the Friends of Acacia (PTA) and concerned Parents, it was agreed that parents may contribute building materials to the value of the relevant Building Development Fund payment.
As a result of that meeting it was also agreed that payment would be deferred, and not be due until the start of Term 3 on the 26th April 2010.
However, as shown below, preparations prior to building are coming along a pace and we need to keep the momentum going, and start building immediately To this end we would like to request any parent or Friend of Acacia, in a position to do so, to contribute in part, in full or in materials to the Acacia Building Development Fund, as soon as possible – any part payment, any donation, however small will help us move forward.

Read more in the fundraising & building section…

On sale will be books, clothes, toys, christmas items like cards, candles, decorations. We also have Santa Claus coming the see the children as well as refreshments, food and a cake stall. Proceeds will go to Acacia School.

Date: 5th December 2009
Time: 09:00 - 13:00

Tickets:
50,000 for adults, 25,000 for kids
at Bookworld and Acacia School. Proceeds will go to Acacia School

Date: 2009-11-07
Time: 18:00