JULY 2019
Rev Amos Burnet, the Wesleyan Mission and the House at 778 Pretorius Street By Claus Schutte

Amos Burnet lived in Nottingham England when in March 1902 he received the call to leave England and travel to South Africa to assume superintendence of Methodist Churches and take charge of the extensive interests and expansion of the Methodist Mission and Church. “The years between 1903 and 1904 were remarkable in the history of Methodism in the Transvaal for the marvellous activity and rapid extension”.

 

The exact date of when he arrived in South Africa could not be established, it might have been late 1902 or early 1903 as he writes that the war had ended.

 

Rev Amos Burnet was called upon to document the story of the Wesleyan Methodist Mission in the Transvaal and Swaziland. A booklet “A Mission to the Transvaal” by Rev Amos Burnet of over 120 pages was published recording the activities up to 1908.

 

He reports that the times were tough. Roads and railway lines did not adequately serve the outlying areas where his task was to establish new mission stations and churches. Not to speak of the postal and other communication methods of the time. The work was funded from the Methodist Church of England. Communication to and from overseas was dependent on shipping and of traveling many miles to far out reaches in the hot summer months, just to mention a few of the problems he and his team encountered.

 

The following figures show the growth from 1902 to 1908

During the active time he served as leader of the initiative to expand the footprint of the Church in the Transvaal, the Transvaal Synod showed substantial growth up to 1908 .Thereafter he served  as the second Wesleyan Reverend in Pretoria and the Superintendent Minister of the Pretoria Circuit.

 

Through these positions Rev Amos Burnet became a prominent member of the social society in Pretoria and even further afield. He was known as “everybody’s grandfather” among the Methodist communities.

 

Two streets in Pretoria were named in his honour. Amos Street in Colbyn and Burnett Street in Hatfield. The “tt” in the street name is a spelling mistake that was never corrected.

Rev. Amos Burnet ,affectionally known as everybody’s Grandfather

The Residence at 778 Pretorius Street

Title Deeds show that:

Sept 1908: Trustees of the Wesleyan Methodist Church of Pretoria of the Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society of the British Wesleyan Methodist Conference donated the property to Amos Burnet, Superintendent Minister of the Pretoria Circuit.

 

During October 1944: The property was sold by The Methodist Church of South Africa into private hands.

 

In 1912 the house was designed by architect Frank Gordon McIntosh for Rev Amos Burnet as a manse. He was a prominent architect and designed a number of important buildings throughout Transvaal and further afield.

The house, being 110 years old, is protected under the 60-year clause of the Heritage Act of 1999. The house is also regarded as architecturally and culturally significant in terms of the Arcadia and Methodist community.

The Manse Built for Rev Amos Burnet

ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE

For a house constructed in 1912, the house presents itself in a most basic and utilitarian manner and one would expect to see more decorative detailing on a house of this period. It is therefore important that the house’s architectural character be read and interpreted against that which would have been the typical styling of house design in Pretoria at the time. This very simplicity of style, a significant characteristic of the house, may account for the perception that the building appears to some, to be bland. The house is surprisingly modern for the time and it might easily be presumed by a person not informed of its construction in 1912, that the house might date from as late as the early 1930s. This speaks witness to a progressive architectural attitude from the office of the architect, FG McIntosh. The house massing, being asymmetrical, is Victorian, but without the expected decorative finishes that were typical of the time; rather a move toward modernism. (Extract from a Report by A De Villiers)

 

The present owner has applied for a demolition permit to the Provincial Heritage Resource Authority-Gauteng which ARRA has objected to. We are still awaiting the outcome of the objections lodged as well as subsequent appeal hearings.

 

(Info gathered from articles for submission for the ARRA Appeal against the demolition application.)

A SAD STATE OF AFFAIRS AT THE UNION BUILDINGS
As a regular visitor to the Union Buildings precinct below Government Avenue, I am most concerned at the apparent lack of maintenance and the very poor workmanship when maintenance is done. Over the years I have seen a steady decline and despite numerous emails to the relevant people in Public Works, nothing gets done. I even went to the extent of marking up a satellite image to indicate the problem areas, with supporting photographs and have provided my contact details to the responsible person at least twice, but I have still not been contacted. The Union Buildings is a National Key Point. The National Key Points Act of 1980 is an act of the Parliament of South Africa that provides for the declaration and protection of sites of national strategic importance against sabotage, as determined by the Minister of Police since 2004 and the Minister of Defence before that. As you will see in the photographs below, there are many examples where security is being breached at the Union Buildings. Apart from being a National Key Point, the Union Buildings is Pretoria’s no. 1 tourist attraction and is visited by hundreds of local and foreign tourists on a daily basis. It is therefore in the interests of Public Works to keep the gardens and buildings in pristine condition. There is also a proposal to declare the Union Buildings a World heritage Site and if this is to occur, something drastic needs to be done about the maintenance and upkeep of the precinct. I will highlight a few of the many issues that I have observed and brought to the attention of Public Works. 1. The amphitheatre above the SAPS monument to members who have died in the line of duty: Some of the concrete coping had been dislodged, but the repair work is of an appalling quality. The concrete blocks are skew and not in line, and the stonework below these is covered in cement mortar that has been spilt over it. It looks terrible and along with the vandalism of the monument itself and the empty fountain, is an insult to those who have given their lives in the line of duty. A number of manhole covers have also been stolen. The security guards posted there seem to do little other than sit on their cellphones, along with all the other security guards in the Union Buildings gardens who clearly need a significantly higher level of supervision if they are to be of any value at all. 2. Stone retaining walls: These are in a poor state of repair in many areas of the gardens and in some places have collapsed completely. This is ideal work for a small contractor and I am sure that it cannot be too difficult to find a competent stonemason to do the necessary repairs and maintenance at very little cost. Just not the “artisan” that was used for the amphitheatre repairs! By Peter Blersch 3. The slasto paving along Government Avenue down the hill towards the western entrance: This has deteriorated and needs to be repaired urgently, before a member of the public falls and is injured. Again, a competent stonemason could do these repairs neatly and quickly at a very small cost. 4. Garden services: The contractor Leafy Space is simply not supervising the EPWP staff, most of whom spend the day on their cellphones and do very little gardening. What is being done is gradually destroying the established shrubs, in particular the roses, and urgent intervention by a qualified horticulturalist is needed. Flower beds are swept clean and instead of having organic matter spread on them, continuous digging of the beds is killing many of the plants and random hacking of plants such as cycads is also a problem. Given the prestige of the Union Buildings as a tourist attraction, I believe that the Department should use the services of a horticulturalist to ensure that the gardens are properly maintained. 5. Electrical installations in the precinct have been stripped. How is this possible if there are security guards and the gates are locked at night? The entire eastern half of the gardens, including the amphitheatre, is in darkness at night, probably due to cable theft. 6. I have raised the issue of the lack of maintenance and security along the section of Government Avenue down the hill towards Stanza Bopape Street on numerous occasions. All of the streetlights have now been stolen and the road is clearly used as a race track at night, with serious accidents and damage to the fences occurring almost weekly. There is a section of perimeter fencing missing which is a clear security breach. I suggested to both the Municipality and Public Works that speed humps be installed, but nothing has been done. There is also a manhole cover that has been missing for more than two years. 7. I regularly run in the Union Buildings gardens at around 6am and it is apparent that there are a number of homeless people living in the gardens, despite the fact that the gates are locked at night and there is security. They are regularly seen washing clothes near the SAPS Memorial. 8. Water leaks: There are numerous water leaks, some over a month old. I estimate that around R30 000 worth of water has been lost through one of these leaks alone. This is not acceptable in a water-scarce country. As a general comment, all of the above issues would be addressed if those responsible for the maintenance of the Union Buildings were to do, say, a weekly inspection of the precinct and initiate appropriate preventative maintenance.

1a

1a Poorly repaired coping at amphitheatre

3b Damaged slasto

4b Sparse flower bed due to too much digging and hoeing

5b Light cables (lights not working)

4a Rose bed without any organics and large gaps

4c  Sparse flower bed due to too much digging and hoeing

6a Missing fence panel (security breach)

8a Water leak at toilet

5a Stolen light fittings on bottom road

7a Litter left by vagrants

8b Water leak upper terrace

5b

1b Missing manhole in amphitheatre

1b

2a Collapsing retaining wall

2a

2b Collapsing retaining wall

2b

2c Collapsing retaining wall

2c

3a Damaged slasto

3a

3b

4a

4b

4c

5a

6a

7a

8a

8b

Update: After six weeks from the time of reporting and many emails in between, the water leaks were eventually fixed.

ARRA  held a very successful Carnival in May. The weather was glorious and Arcadians turned out in their numbers, especially the young ones. Once again the Brass Band marched through the streets of Arcadia and entertained us afterwards at the Scout Hall with their wonderful repertoire.

 

The children were kept entertained with a number of activities. The new addition to the children’s programme was Arcadia’s Got Talent which proved that we certainly have a lots of talented children in our community.

 

Everyone enjoyed the delicious food on sale and generally relaxing with friends and neighbours in the sunshine.

 

All in all it was a lovely day and we are truly fortunate to live in such a wonderful suburb.

THE ARRA
By Christel Andersen

We have received the annual contributions from 6 of the families who come to play regularly.

Thank you very much for the contributions. We have bought new sand for the sandpit and will use the winter months to revamp the playground.

 

We welcome families to bring their children to play on our playground at the Arcadia Scout Hall, 185 Beckett Street on Thursdays from 15h00 to 17h00  and on Saturdays from 9h30-11h30.

Much fun is had on those days and precious friendships are formed.

 

 

Contact Christel Andersen 082 3967806 |  christel@souljourney.co.za

Mrs Pidsley was also very strict about how and where we park our cars (on our own property!). Pip was a sweet man who, amongst other things, helped my children with woodwork projects. He was well known for training pilots, also at Wonderboom.

 

We later became very close friends. But I am sad that I never at that time knew that Pip, a SA Airforce pilot, was a great hero of World War II and the Korean War. I would have loved to hear more from him about his experiences.

 

The WWII story I heard goes as follows:

 

On 26 October 1942 a mixed force of 22 aircraft took off on one of the important missions of World War II – to destroy a convoy that was of vital importance for the Deutsches Afrikakorps (DAK). The DAK needed fuel desperately - to move artillery from the south to the north of their front line and for the Lutwaffe to parry Montgomery's thrust at El Alamein. For this reason it was imperative for the Allied Forces that Axis shipping for Tobruk be stopped at all costs.

 

The Axis’ fuel-carrying convoy consisted of the Proserpina, a 4890 ton tanker carrying 4553 tons of fuel, Tergestes, a 5890 ton freighter carrying 1000 tons fuel and 1000 tons ammunition, and the cargo ship Dora. They were escorted by four Italian destroyer/torpedo boats.

 

The responsibility to stop this convoy, called “TT” (Taranto - Tobruk) was the lot of two flights of Bisleys of No 15 Squadron SAAF led by Maj ow. Douglas “Pip” Pidsley, and supported by eight torpedo-carrying Beauforts from No 39 and No 47 Squadrons RAF, and 9 RAF Beaufighters as fighter escort.

 

On the 26th October 1942 they attacked the Axis convoy despite a heavy barrage of accurate flack. The main target was the 2 700 ton tanker Prosperina.

 

The convoy was found and three Bisleys went in first, mistaking the Dora for the Proserpina. Pilot Officer Manning realised this and went west to look for the Proserpina. He was followed by another Beaufort flown by F/O Hearn-Phillips and the two Bisleys of Maj Pip Pidsley and Lt Dustow. The Proserpina had suffered an engine problem which had been repaired and was trailing the convoy with the destroyer Calatamfimi escorting her.

 

Two of No 15 Squadron's Bisleys were shot down in flames before Maj Pidsley screamed in over the tanker's stern at an altitude of 20 feet, scoring direct hits with three of his four 250 pound bombs and stopping the Prosperina in her tracks. This allowed an RAF Beaufort to administer the coup de grace.

 

Montgomery's campaign could have been dramatically changed had Axis convoys been able to supply their colleagues with the fuel and supplies they so desperately needed. Pidsley was awarded an immediate DFC (Distinguished Flying Cross). His action ensured that the entire German armoured section was left with only enough fuel for a further three days.

 

REFERENCES

Sources:

Swifter than eagles – a brief history of the SA Airforce 1912 – 1982 by Lt E H Ward accessed on the Internet at scientiamilitaria.journals.ac.za/pub/article/download/619/623

 

https://forums.ubi.com/archive/index.php/t-279502.html (where a much more detailed account by Beaufort-RAF of the operation can be found)

Rommel's Last Tanker By Ina Roos

When we moved into our home as a newly-wed couple in 1979, we were quite in awe of our neighbours, the Pidsleys at 814 Government Avenue, who were older and seemed very sophisticated. Pip and Mildred each had a son from a previous marriage. They got married not long after WWII and moved to Pretoria. Their first home in the city was in Arcadia, in old stables that had been converted into flats, on the grounds of what is now The Falcons. They lived in Corbishley House  with a few other young couples until they moved into their home at 814 Government Avenue.

Our organic vegetable and herb garden on the Scout Hall premises is thriving during the cold winter months. Pretoria does have an amazing climate!

 

We are also selling raw honey, sour dough bread and various dried herbs and spices.

Monthly orders with weekly delivery in the area are also possible.

 

185 Beckett street
Opening times: Thursdays 15h00 – 17h00, Saturdays 9h30-11h30 
https://web.facebook.com/arcadiacommunitygarden/

 

Contact details: Christel Andersen 082 3967806 |  christel@souljourney.co.za

Sadly we have to bid farewell to Kon, Laura, Milo and Kai Von Vieregge who have lived in Thomas Avenue for 6 years.  They are relocating to Atlanta, USA in July.

 

Both Kon and Laura have been very involved members of the community. They have supported all the social and fundraising events with great enthusiasm and generosity. Laura has served on the Social and Fundraising committee for a number of years and her contribution has been invaluable. She was instrumental in organising the children’s activities at the annual ARRA Carnival and also the very successful Halloween Trick or Treat.

 

Laura was also very involved in the Moms and Tots Group at the Scout Hall. Both her children have spent many happy hours playing with the other little Arcadians at the Scout Hall playground on Thursday afternoons.

 

We will certainly miss this special family and on behalf of all Arcadians, we wish you well as you start this new chapter of your lives.

By Penny Blersch FAREWELL TO THE VON VIEREGGE FAMILY

The swimming Albertyn family of Arcadia did outstandingly well at the 2019 Aquelle Midmar Mile held at Midmar Dam in Howick , KZN.

 

Firstly, Dad Gary and 16 year old daughter Kaitlyn swam 16 miles for their charity DUCT, the Duzi and Umngeni Conservation Trust which was established by local paddlers in 2006 to champion the environmental health of the uMsunduzi and uMngeni Rivers. As there are only 8 mile races over the two days of the event, that meant they needed to swim across the dam for each race then back again to start the next race. Kaitlyn was the youngest competitor to achieve this. Meanwhile Mom Megan and 14 year old Connor swam 8 miles for their charity Pink Drive, which does amazing work in the prevention of breast and cervical cancer through early screening and education programmes.

 

The family came top of the family relay event winning overall in grand style. Young Connor stormed in first in the family in 20.13, Kaitlyn followed in 21.06, Dad Gary was close behind in 21.23 and Mom Megan did 23.32.

 

Megan also won the ladies 41-50 age group race, Gary came second in the men’s 41-50 age group race and Kaitlyn achieved a great placing in the top 10 of the elite ladies 14-30 age group which included the overseas stars who come to swim at Midmar.

 

Well done Albertyns!

THE ALBERTYN FAMILY AT THE 2019 MIDMAR MILE
ARCADIA RECYCLING PROJECT

Obakeng comes to collect the recycling  at 11h00 on Saturday mornings. The gate of the Scout Hall is unlocked at 9h30.

 

Please do not leave your bags outside against the fence as this encourages informal recyclers to scratch in the bags and take what they want. On Saturdays when there are lots of cars parked, leave the recycling under the tree close to the entrance otherwise take it to the parking area towards the back.

 

You may also bring recycling on Thursdays between 15h00 and 17h00.Please put your contribution in the yellow bin in the parking area so that it does not get wet when it rains.

RECYCLING MATTERS

We can immediately do something about the mounting plastic monster that is threating the environment. Although the ideal solution is to stop using non-recyclable plastic, we are still being sold items packed in this material. We can all make EcoBricks that can be used as building material. It is surmised that PET (polyethylene terephthalate ) bottles will last for 300 to 500 years if they are kept from sunlight.  It takes about 6,200 EcoBricks to build a two-room classroom.

By Rita Burger
How do you make an EcoBrick?

For more information watch the Introduction video of the ECOBRICK exchange at www.ecobrickexchange.org

Non-recyclable waste that can go in EcoBricks:
  • Laminated paper
  • Photos and transparencies
  • Polystyrene cups / trays
  • Plastic vegetable and fruit punnets
  • Silvery packets (chips, chocolates, etc.)
  • Wax paper
  • Pet food bags
  • Straws
  • Cellophane
  • Styrofoam
  • All plastic packaging
  • Plastic shopping bags (despite being reusable)
  • Blister packs
  • Crisp packets

 

It is imperative that only trash that is dry and free of food is used to prevent mould and bacteria from forming.

Tips for making an EcoBricks:
  • Ensure that the four hollows at the bottom of the bottle are tightly packed
  • It is best to cut up bigger pieces of plastic
  • Twist the waste  to make it is easier to insert into the bottle
  • Cut up STRAWS (hooray!) into small sections
  • Compress waste with a wooden stick
How much do EcoBricks weigh?

As a guide, a 500ml bottle should weigh around 175g when fully packed, and a larger 1.5l bottle will weigh around 500g. When you really can't squeeze any more in, your EcoBrick should be ready.

 

Watch this space for where Arcadians are going to take EcoBricks.

A home built with EcoBricks

A home built with EcoBricks

ARRA Committee 2019 At the ARRA AGM held on 13 March 2019 the following residents were elected to serve on the ARRA committee. Chairperson Mrs Linda Tyrrell was re-elected to the position of Chairperson. Vice-Chairperson Mr Flor Healy was re-elected to the position of Vice-Chairperson. Secretary Mr Francois Burger was re-elected to the position of Secretary. Treasurer Ms Helen Rakotomalala was re-elected to the position of Treasurer. Sub-committee Chairs were unanimously re-elected to the following portfolios:

Planning & Zoning:

Heritage:

Environment & Recycling:

Crime & Security:

Service Delivery:

Ward & Electoral:

Membership & Fundraising:

Ms Ina Roos

Mr Claus Schutte

Dr Rita Burger

Mr Flor Healy

Mr Peter Blersch

Mr Francois Burger

Ms Penny Blersch

All these members will serve on the Management Committee.

2035

 

ECOBRICKS

 

Rest In Piece

 

By 2015 we aim for EcoBricks to become extinct by encouraging the phasing out single-usage plastics.

 

In the meantime we encourage people to stuff all their plastic into their EcoBricks and to use them to build structures of value.

R.I.P. ECOBRIKS - YEAR 20135

This may sound odd, but it is hoped that by the year 2035 the humble EcoBrick will become extinct as the material needed to produce them will be unavailable.

Dates to Diarise
Sunday 18 August Community Picnic Scout Hall Saturday 12 October Art Exhibition Ca Ira Guest House Saturday 26 October Halloween Trick-or-treat Scout Hall Friday 6 December Community Party 732 Government Avenue
PIETER DELPORT CENTRE TREES
On Thursday 28 March 2019, residents were horrified to see many trees being sawed down at the Delport Centre in Government Avenue. Linda Tyrrell, on behalf of ARRA, immediately contacted the City of Tshwane for an explanation and this is the reply ARRA received. Dear Ms. Tyrrell Thank you for your email and the expression of duty of care as it relates to the neighbourhood and that which contributes to its being. The decision to cut down the trees within the property was not an easy one, but one which had to be taken for variety of reasons. Upon taking up office here at the Pieter Delport Centre in August 2017; I was taken aback by the years of management neglect as it related to the safeguarding of this municipal asset, where by definition of the word ‘safeguarding’, such also includes the maintenance of the asset in order to preserve and sustain its future service benefit. The lack of tree management over the years, had resulted in many negative consequences especially to the built infrastructure, being also mindful of the split-level design of the building. Some of these consequences included damages to roofing, water seepage into the building as a result of blocked and tree-damaged boxed gutters, tree-root systems causing hard surface invasion which impacted on below ground office areas; severe encroachment into power transmission lines, and damage to parking area infrastructure including impact on staff private vehicles. This negative impact and subsequent expenditure that had to be incurred to remedy issues that could have been avoided, has a significant impact on our maintenance budget. With this very same maintenance budget, I am expected to maintain (through planned preventative and reactive maintenance), twenty (20) Fire Stations and other related Emergency Services facilities that are operational 24/7 year round. So in part, the decision was also made for purposes of financial prudence within the scope of a constrained budget. Of equal concern was the security risk! The readers may not be aware, but in the last few months, two (2) cars were stolen (in broad daylight) from the visitors parking area. The presence of the trees made these criminal acts possible as our perimeter security surveillance system view was hindered by the trees, which also caused staff working on the first floor to have limited if not, no sight of the area outside their office windows. Further in terms of the security risk, the presence of historically unmanaged trees on the inside of our property also made it easier for persons with criminal intent to scale the boundary walls some of which we actually did not have sight of until now. I must also use this opportunity in the spirit in which you seek understanding, to mention a few aspects of the importance and role of the Pieter Delport Centre in its capacity as the Emergency Services Headquarters for the City. Other than the property being the Corporate Headquarters of the Emergency Services where Senior Executive Officers of the Department are based; the building also houses the City’s Disaster and Emergency Management Command Centre. (Without going too deep); the functioning of the Command Centre is driven by legislation; and all major incident or disaster management incident command occurs from this venue. The unmanaged trees also resulted in the loss of Helipad use which was part of the building design and functionality. The Command Centre is also heavily invested with technology, and other than terrestrial communications capability (some of which are visible in the form of communication signal towers), the Centre is also invested with satellite communications. Without indicating the trees were causing untold communication issues, the threat to our communications signal capacities were indeed apparent due to the encroachment of the unmanaged trees in the signal line. The plan going forward, and taking into account the issue of water scarcity, as part of the ‘rehabilitation of our grounds”; is to plant water-wise vegetation and shrubs. This would hopefully contribute to a better management and physical look to our grounds and also ensure that we able to maintain line-of-sight security on all our boundaries. In concluding this response, and without indicating that I have covered all the points that led to the decision; I would really welcome a further engagement with yourself; and should you wish to meet with me for further clarity, please contact my Executive Secretary, Mrs. Narina van Reenan on 012 358 0154 or via email at Narinavr@tshwane.gov.za Once again, I thank you for your duty of care and the spirit of your correspondence.
10th Arcadia Pretoria - The Little Troop That Could
Concluding our best Kontiki to date, it is necessary to reflect on the journey we have all taken over the last years to reach this pinnacle point in our history. With immense appreciation we contemplate the last few years, and although most have been tough, we are grateful for where we are today. With a handful of dedicated adult leaders and enthusiastic scouts, 10th Arcadia managed to overcome near extinction in 2009 and flourish into the well-oiled machine we witnessed this year at Kontiki 2019. Our Group History: The group, 10th Arcadia, was established on the 1st of March 1921, with our centenary approaching soon. The home of 10th Arcadia was eventually rooted in Beckett Street where our hall was built. Our group has never really been affluent, on the contrary, in 2009 when the demographic of the group changed, we shifted into a position as that of a developing group. That year, in 2009, we had no Cub Pack, only two Scouts and two adult leaders. With the dedication of Jac Burger and Chris Baron the troop started to grow. Their complete enthusiasm and love for the Scout movement was contagious and resonated with their scouts, inspiring them to recruit more members to the movement. In 2010 it was decided to take on the challenge and reopen the Cub Pack which at that point had been closed for five years. Samantha Baron became the Pack Scouter and ran the pack for almost 5 years, after which she became the Scout Group Leader, handing over a strong pack of 20+ Cubs to her successors. The pack is running very successfully today with strong parental influence and involvement. To this day, we do not have a multitude of Scouts that attend every Friday like other groups. In fact, we won Kontiki this year with only twelve Scouts, yes, TWELVE Scouts. The difference is that the Scouts who do attend have made scouting a lifestyle, not just a hobby, and 10th Arcadia their home, not just a group. Scouts is deep-seated into their very core, making just a handful of these 10th Arcadians a power house. Our Kontiki History: Our journey and passion for Kontiki started in 2013, where we eventually placed 36th in the raft competition overall. The Scouters had no idea what they were doing, what the competition entailed or what the required standards were to place in any competitions. Jac, Chris and the court of honour spent many afternoons re-designing the raft and propulsion methods. In 2014 this new design resulted in our first top 3 placement where we got 3rd place in Raft pioneering, boosting our overall placement from 36th to 24th for raft competition overall. Further raft design adjustments were made and a large focus was placed on training the Scouts in pioneering and construction. In 2015 we then emerged with our first trophy in raft construction and a 5th placement for raft competition overall. In our 4th year at Kontiki, we decided to enter the supporter’s competition for the first time, 2016 was the toughest, wettest, coldest Kontiki to date. We had significant reservations about having entered the supporter’s competition, however, we brought back 4 trophies in total. We won Raft competition overall, and managed to place 2nd Overall for 2016, missing 1st place by a mere 34 points. 2017 was a tough year for us, as our core Scout group had all left due to age, and we went to Kontiki with an average age of 11.5 years old across all our Scouts. These new Scouts had just come up from Cubs, and although they lacked experience, we still managed 7th in the raft overall as well as two trophies for our model and raft pioneering. The year 2018 was by far the closest we had ever come to winning Kontiki overall, we managed to win the supporters competition overall, we secured 10 certificates and four trophies, and were 6 points away from 1st place overall. Our court of honour decided that 2019 was their year and they had planned many patrol days at the hall, prepping our equipment, prepping our Scouts and getting ready to give 2019 all we had. As you can surmise, we did just that, we pulled of the biggest winning margin since 2013 with an impressive 107-points. The current Troop Scouter, Chris Baron, attributes the win to the spirit of the group which explains why 10th Arcadia has won this trophy two years in a row. He says, “10th Arcadia epitomizes the saying ‘It’s not about the size of the dog in the fight, but about the size of the fight in the dog’. The loyalty and love our Scouts have for their troop is unmatched and unshaken; we may be small, but our actions speak louder than any words or war cries do. Each and every Scout gave their very best effort over this past Kontiki weekend. There is not a single area where we lacked enthusiasm or hard work. “ Our group functions on strong succession plans as we realized this needs to be a cornerstone of how we train our future leaders to prevent the group from ever going back to where we almost closed down. A strong succession plan comes with a strong group identity that is engrained into every Cub and Scout by their Scouters, leaders and peers. If you pull any 10th Arcadia Scout aside and ask them how we do so well consistently, their answer will be the same, “We work harder than everyone else”. Our troop’s motto that is echoed over and over is it the challenge to be better than we were the year before, work harder than we did last year, last month, last week. Our strong Scouter team is crucial to our success. The valued contributions from our Pack Scouter (Felice Babedi), our Troop Scouter (Chris Baron), Assistant Troop Scouters (Dylan Thatcher, Robyn Culverwell, Emily O’Neill and Colin Mackay) and Scout Group Leader (Samantha Baron), every Cub and Scout and parent will resonate years to come. The Kontiki results for 10th Arcadia 3rd model raft 3rd raft construction 3rd supporters competition 1st team spirit 1st spar time activity 1st raft safety awareness 1st raft overall 1st Kontiki overall Well done 10th Arcadia Scout Group. The Arcadia community is very proud of your achievements.
Holiday Food Ideas - for a Day Trip, Camping or a Hike
By Martie Hofmeyr
If you have camping or hiking on your agenda, mapping out your nutrition needs is important. There's plenty to consider besides simply grabbing an energy bar or a bottle of water for your wilderness trip. Here are some tips to ensure you have a nourishing and safe food experience on your next outdoor adventure. Have a Plan Your food and water needs are generally higher than usual on activity-based excursions. Pay extra special attention to packing plenty of fluids for outdoor adventures. Some other key considerations before your hiking or camping trip include: Length of the trip What foods and beverages you'll have to carry If bringing a cooler box is an option What food-related tools you'll need Stay Hydrated Pre-hydrate by drinking at least 4 cups of water before a hike so you have less to carry. Then, a good rule of thumb is to plan for about 2 cups of fluid for every hour of hiking. Food to pack for a Hike or Day Trip: You can pack perishable foods, such as sandwiches, just be sure you have a cold source (such as an ice pack) to keep foods properly chilled to below 5°C. The more you stash in a backpack, the harder it is to hike, so opt mainly for non-perishable foods that are relatively lightweight and nutrient dense, such as: Trail mix Nuts, seeds, nut-based bars or nut butter packs Dried or freeze-dried fruits and veggies Energy bars, chews or gels Granola or granola bars Ready-made tuna salad pouches Whole-grain tortillas Biltong or droewors Food for Camping or Multi-Day Trips: It's a little more challenging to pack food for days at a time. The first day you'll be able to eat perishable foods, but after that, map out your meals so you'll have what you enjoy and need. If you have a cooler, you'll have numerous options. Otherwise, include any of these shelf-stable, easily-packed basics to sustain you: Easy-to-carry foods mentioned above Ready-to-eat cereal Fruit or vegetable puree in squeezable pouches (yes, like baby food) Poultry or fish pouches, canned fish, poultry or meat in individual or regular servings Individual packets of mayo, mustard, soy or other sauce Whole-grain pasta, couscous, rice mix, pancake mix, hot cereal, dried soups and dehydrated foods (if you have the ability to boil water) Marshmallows — for a campfire dessert, of course Bottled water and possibly powdered beverage mixes Remember Food Safety Practices Always follow good food safety practices — from packing to plating. Remember that perishable food cannot be kept out in hot weather (32°C or higher) for more than one hour; in mild weather for more than two hours. A good reason to go hiking in the winter! Pack these food safety essentials: Disposable wipes and biodegradable soap Bowls and plates Kettle or cooking pot and matches Eating and cooking utensils Tin opener Ice packs, if applicable Rubbish bags Portable water filters or water purification tablets Thermometers for cooler and cooked meat, if applicable And follow these food safety rules: Wash hands often. This includes before and after eating. Keep raw meats and ready-to-eat foods separate. Use extra plates that you've packed — one for raw and one for prepared foods. Cook to proper temperatures. Use a food thermometer to be sure cooked food has reached a safe internal temperature. Refrigerate promptly below 5°C. Of course, if you don't have a fridge, pack perishable food, including meat or poultry, with plenty of ice or ice packs in a well-insulated cooler. Store leftovers in the cooler only if it still has ice. And keep the cooler in as cool a place as possible. Enjoy the hike!
THE 2019 TREE OF THE YEAR The Marula
The first week of September each year is declared Arbour Week and citizens are encouraged to plant a tree or trees. Every year an indigenous tree is chosen as the tree of the year. This year it is the Marula. The history of the marula tree goes back thousands of years. Archaeological evidence shows the marula tree was a source of nutrition as long as ago as 10,000 years B.C. Marula, Scelerocarya birrea, subspecies caffera, is one of Africa' botanical treasures. In the Pomongwe Cave in Zimbabwe, it is estimated that 24 million marula fruits were eaten. Not only the fruit, but also the nuts, are rich in minerals and vitamins. Legends about marula abound - from its use as a food source, magical qualities as a healing ingredient, to its virility/fertility properties, and the many uses of its bark, leaves, fruit, nut and kernels. Most well known as the fruit that 'drives elephants mad' when dropped to the ground and lightly fermented, marula is a much-loved tree in the veld in Africa. It was a dietary mainstay in South Africa, Botswana and Namibia throughout ancient times. Abundant in fruit and in numbers, the marula tree is found widely in many of South Africa's Game Parks and rural communities including Limpopo Province, KwaZulu Natal, Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga. A beautiful, leafy tree that is both drought resistant and yields exceptional fruit per tree, S. birrea is highly prized in Africa. It is widely distributed from 20ºN to 30ºS, and is found in 29 countries, but few have succeeded in commercially harvesting the fruit and/or nuts. A prolific fruit bearer, one single tree can bear up to 500 kg of fruit per year; in fact an exceptional tree in Pretoria is known regularly to produce a tonne of fruit! Marula is a medium to large tree, usually 9 metres tall, but can grow up to 18 metres. It is single-stemmed with a dense, spreading crown and deciduous foliage. Fascinatingly enough, only the female trees bears fruits, while the male tree displays flower. The tree grows well between 769 to 921m in elevation, and occurs in semi-arid to sub humid portions of Africa. Marula wood has been traditionally used for carving pestles and mortars, bowls, drums, beehives and stools and even canoes in some areas. During colonial times it was even used for tomato boxes and toilet seats. Regarded as a sacred tree in Africa, the marula is protected in communal lands under the local chief. Because of its leafy foliage and shade-bearing size, it is popular with villages for local meetings, and often in a ploughed field will be the only tree left standing. The marula tree is often the spiritual centre for ritual activity in kraals and villages. The bark of the tree has medicinal properties and is used widely in treating dysentery and diarrhoea, rheumatism, insect bites and a variety of other ailments. Essence from the leaves is said to provide a remedy for abscesses, spider bites and burns. Preliminary tests show weak pharmalogical activity relative to hypertension, anti-inflammation and painkilling. The Marula bears small round shaped fruit; (green in colour when unripe) that ripens to a yellow colour and can be harvested by being collected from the ground from January to March. The pulp is used as a base for juices, jams, jellies, ciders and alcoholic drinks. The peel of the fruit is believed to have more than 27 different kinds of flavours and contains ten newly-isolated volatile esters that may be able to be extracted for use in aromatherapy, homeopathic medicines and essential oils and the freeze dried pulp of the marula fruit can be used in a number of cosmetic applications. Other products are the marula tea and as flavourant for ice –creams, etc. The fruit pulp contains up to four times vitamin C than oranges. Even though this fruit is seasonal, it can be processed into pulp in large volumes and stored frozen for a period of over a year. REFERENCES Source: www.marula.org.za Image Sources: https://southcoastherald.co.za/288653/guide-grow-marula-tree-seed/ https://www.greenandgrowing.org/marula-fruit-sustainable-culture/
Kennel Cough
Winter has arrived and with it the usual colds and flu in humans. But did you know your animals are susceptible too? If your dog is hacking away or constantly making noises that make it sound like he's choking on something, he may have a case of kennel cough, or canine infectious tracheobronchitis. Although kennel cough can sound terrible, most of the time it is not a serious condition, and most dogs will recover without treatment. What is Kennel Cough? Just as human colds may be caused by many different viruses, kennel cough itself can have multiple causes. One of the most common culprits is a bacterium called Bordetella bronchiseptica m-- which is why kennel cough is often called Bordetella. Most dogs that become infected with Bordetella are infected with a virus at the same time. These viruses, which are known to make dogs more susceptible to contracting Bordetella infection, include canine adenovirus, canine distemper virus, canine herpes virus, parainfluenza virus and canine reovirus. Dogs "catch" kennel cough when they inhale bacteria or virus particles into their respiratory tract. This tract is normally lined with a coating of mucus that traps infectious particles, but there are a number of factors that can weaken this protection and make dogs prone to kennel cough infection, which results in inflammation of the larynx (voice box) and trachea (windpipe). These factors include: Exposure to crowded and/or poorly ventilated conditions, such as are found in many kennels and shelters Cold temperatures Exposure to dust or cigarette smoke Travel-induced stress Symptoms of Kennel Cough The classic symptom of kennel cough is a persistent, forceful cough. It often sounds like a goose honk. This is distinct from a cough-like sound made by some dogs, especially little ones, which is called a reverse sneeze. Reverse sneezes can be normal in certain dogs and breeds, and usually only indicates the presence of post-nasal drip or a slight irritation of the throat. Some dogs with kennel cough may show other symptoms of illness, including sneezing, a runny nose, or eye discharge. If your dog has kennel cough, he probably will not lose his appetite or have a decreased energy level. Treating and Preventing Kennel Cough Kennel cough is highly contagious. If you think your dog might have the condition, you should keep him away from other animals and contact your veterinarian. Although most cases of kennel cough will resolve without treatment, medications may speed recovery or minimize symptoms during the course of infection. These include antibiotics that target Bordetella bacteria and cough medicines. You may also find that keeping your dog in a well-humidified area and using a harness instead of a collar, especially for dogs that strain against a leash, will minimize the coughing. Most dogs with kennel cough recover completely within three weeks, though it can take up to six weeks in older dogs or those with other medical conditions. Because serious, ongoing kennel cough infection can lead to pneumonia, be sure to follow up with your veterinarian if your dog doesn't improve within the expected amount of time. Also, if your dog at any time has symptoms of rapid breathing, not eating, or listlessness, contact your vet right away, as these could be signs of more serious conditions. REFERENCES Source: www.pets.webmd.com
EMPLOYMENT WANTED Minah (48 years old) has been employed as a domestic worker in Arcadia for the past 5 years. She has 1 or 2 days open for general household work. She has performed outstandingly in all tasks allocated to her. For more information contact: 082 539 1880 or 012 430 2475 Community Notice Board

This newsletter is a community effort. Please assist with any articles,
photos or letters that can make our newsletter interesting as well as
representative of the broader interests of the residents.

 

Articles and letters can be sent to penny@arra.co.za

 

Please access this site at www.arra.co.za and give us some feedback and ideas.

JULY 2019
Rev Amos Burnet, the Wesleyan Mission and the House at 778 Pretorius Street By Claus Schutte
The Residence at 778 Pretorius Street
ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE
A SAD STATE OF AFFAIRS AT THE UNION BUILDINGS As a regular visitor to the Union Buildings precinct below Government Avenue, I am most concerned at the apparent lack of maintenance and the very poor workmanship when maintenance is done. Over the years I have seen a steady decline and despite numerous emails to the relevant people in Public Works, nothing gets done. I even went to the extent of marking up a satellite image to indicate the problem areas, with supporting photographs and have provided my contact details to the responsible person at least twice, but I have still not been contacted. The Union Buildings is a National Key Point. The National Key Points Act of 1980 is an act of the Parliament of South Africa that provides for the declaration and protection of sites of national strategic importance against sabotage, as determined by the Minister of Police since 2004 and the Minister of Defence before that. As you will see in the photographs below, there are many examples where security is being breached at the Union Buildings. Apart from being a National Key Point, the Union Buildings is Pretoria’s no. 1 tourist attraction and is visited by hundreds of local and foreign tourists on a daily basis. It is therefore in the interests of Public Works to keep the gardens and buildings in pristine condition. There is also a proposal to declare the Union Buildings a World heritage Site and if this is to occur, something drastic needs to be done about the maintenance and upkeep of the precinct. I will highlight a few of the many issues that I have observed and brought to the attention of Public Works. 1. The amphitheatre above the SAPS monument to members who have died in the line of duty: Some of the concrete coping had been dislodged, but the repair work is of an appalling quality. The concrete blocks are skew and not in line, and the stonework below these is covered in cement mortar that has been spilt over it. It looks terrible and along with the vandalism of the monument itself and the empty fountain, is an insult to those who have given their lives in the line of duty. A number of manhole covers have also been stolen. The security guards posted there seem to do little other than sit on their cellphones, along with all the other security guards in the Union Buildings gardens who clearly need a significantly higher level of supervision if they are to be of any value at all. 2. Stone retaining walls: These are in a poor state of repair in many areas of the gardens and in some places have collapsed completely. This is ideal work for a small contractor and I am sure that it cannot be too difficult to find a competent stonemason to do the necessary repairs and maintenance at very little cost. Just not the “artisan” that was used for the amphitheatre repairs! By Peter Blersch 3. The slasto paving along Government Avenue down the hill towards the western entrance: This has deteriorated and needs to be repaired urgently, before a member of the public falls and is injured. Again, a competent stonemason could do these repairs neatly and quickly at a very small cost. 4. Garden services: The contractor Leafy Space is simply not supervising the EPWP staff, most of whom spend the day on their cellphones and do very little gardening. What is being done is gradually destroying the established shrubs, in particular the roses, and urgent intervention by a qualified horticulturalist is needed. Flower beds are swept clean and instead of having organic matter spread on them, continuous digging of the beds is killing many of the plants and random hacking of plants such as cycads is also a problem. Given the prestige of the Union Buildings as a tourist attraction, I believe that the Department should use the services of a horticulturalist to ensure that the gardens are properly maintained. 5. Electrical installations in the precinct have been stripped. How is this possible if there are security guards and the gates are locked at night? The entire eastern half of the gardens, including the amphitheatre, is in darkness at night, probably due to cable theft. 6. I have raised the issue of the lack of maintenance and security along the section of Government Avenue down the hill towards Stanza Bopape Street on numerous occasions. All of the streetlights have now been stolen and the road is clearly used as a race track at night, with serious accidents and damage to the fences occurring almost weekly. There is a section of perimeter fencing missing which is a clear security breach. I suggested to both the Municipality and Public Works that speed humps be installed, but nothing has been done. There is also a manhole cover that has been missing for more than two years. 7. I regularly run in the Union Buildings gardens at around 6am and it is apparent that there are a number of homeless people living in the gardens, despite the fact that the gates are locked at night and there is security. They are regularly seen washing clothes near the SAPS Memorial. 8. Water leaks: There are numerous water leaks, some over a month old. I estimate that around R30 000 worth of water has been lost through one of these leaks alone. This is not acceptable in a water-scarce country. As a general comment, all of the above issues would be addressed if those responsible for the maintenance of the Union Buildings were to do, say, a weekly inspection of the precinct and initiate appropriate preventative maintenance.
Update: After six weeks from the time of reporting and many emails in between, the water leaks were eventually fixed.
Rommel's Last Tanker By Ina Roos
THE ARRA
FAREWELL TO THE VON VIEREGGE FAMILY By Penny Blersch
By Christel Andersen
THE ALBERTYN FAMILY AT THE 2019 MIDMAR MILE
ARCADIA RECYCLING PROJECT
RECYCLING MATTERS By Rita Burger
How do you make an EcoBrick?
Non-recyclable waste that can go in EcoBricks: Tips for making an EcoBricks:
How much do EcoBricks weigh?
R.I.P. ECOBRIKS - YEAR 20135
ARRA Committee 2019 At the ARRA AGM held on 13 March 2019 the following residents were elected to serve on the ARRA committee. Chairperson Mrs Linda Tyrrell was re-elected to the position of Chairperson. Vice-Chairperson Mr Flor Healy was re-elected to the position of Vice-Chairperson. Secretary Mr Francois Burger was re-elected to the position of Secretary. Treasurer Ms Helen Rakotomalala was re-elected to the position of Treasurer. Sub-committee Chairs were unanimously re-elected to the following portfolios:
Dates to Diarise Sunday 18 August Community Picnic Scout Hall Saturday 12 October Art Exhibition Ca Ira Guest House Saturday 26 October Halloween Trick-or-treat Scout Hall Friday 6 December Community Party 732 Government Avenue
PIETER DELPORT CENTRE TREES On Thursday 28 March 2019, residents were horrified to see many trees being sawed down at the Delport Centre in Government Avenue. Linda Tyrrell, on behalf of ARRA, immediately contacted the City of Tshwane for an explanation and this is the reply ARRA received. Dear Ms. Tyrrell Thank you for your email and the expression of duty of care as it relates to the neighbourhood and that which contributes to its being. The decision to cut down the trees within the property was not an easy one, but one which had to be taken for variety of reasons. Upon taking up office here at the Pieter Delport Centre in August 2017; I was taken aback by the years of management neglect as it related to the safeguarding of this municipal asset, where by definition of the word ‘safeguarding’, such also includes the maintenance of the asset in order to preserve and sustain its future service benefit. The lack of tree management over the years, had resulted in many negative consequences especially to the built infrastructure, being also mindful of the split-level design of the building. Some of these consequences included damages to roofing, water seepage into the building as a result of blocked and tree-damaged boxed gutters, tree-root systems causing hard surface invasion which impacted on below ground office areas; severe encroachment into power transmission lines, and damage to parking area infrastructure including impact on staff private vehicles. This negative impact and subsequent expenditure that had to be incurred to remedy issues that could have been avoided, has a significant impact on our maintenance budget. With this very same maintenance budget, I am expected to maintain (through planned preventative and reactive maintenance), twenty (20) Fire Stations and other related Emergency Services facilities that are operational 24/7 year round. So in part, the decision was also made for purposes of financial prudence within the scope of a constrained budget. Of equal concern was the security risk! The readers may not be aware, but in the last few months, two (2) cars were stolen (in broad daylight) from the visitors parking area. The presence of the trees made these criminal acts possible as our perimeter security surveillance system view was hindered by the trees, which also caused staff working on the first floor to have limited if not, no sight of the area outside their office windows. Further in terms of the security risk, the presence of historically unmanaged trees on the inside of our property also made it easier for persons with criminal intent to scale the boundary walls some of which we actually did not have sight of until now. I must also use this opportunity in the spirit in which you seek understanding, to mention a few aspects of the importance and role of the Pieter Delport Centre in its capacity as the Emergency Services Headquarters for the City. Other than the property being the Corporate Headquarters of the Emergency Services where Senior Executive Officers of the Department are based; the building also houses the City’s Disaster and Emergency Management Command Centre. (Without going too deep); the functioning of the Command Centre is driven by legislation; and all major incident or disaster management incident command occurs from this venue. The unmanaged trees also resulted in the loss of Helipad use which was part of the building design and functionality. The Command Centre is also heavily invested with technology, and other than terrestrial communications capability (some of which are visible in the form of communication signal towers), the Centre is also invested with satellite communications. Without indicating the trees were causing untold communication issues, the threat to our communications signal capacities were indeed apparent due to the encroachment of the unmanaged trees in the signal line. The plan going forward, and taking into account the issue of water scarcity, as part of the ‘rehabilitation of our grounds”; is to plant water-wise vegetation and shrubs. This would hopefully contribute to a better management and physical look to our grounds and also ensure that we able to maintain line-of-sight security on all our boundaries. In concluding this response, and without indicating that I have covered all the points that led to the decision; I would really welcome a further engagement with yourself; and should you wish to meet with me for further clarity, please contact my Executive Secretary, Mrs. Narina van Reenan on 012 358 0154 or via email at Narinavr@tshwane.gov.za Once again, I thank you for your duty of care and the spirit of your correspondence.
10th Arcadia Pretoria - The Little Troop That Could
Concluding our best Kontiki to date, it is necessary to reflect on the journey we have all taken over the last years to reach this pinnacle point in our history. With immense appreciation we contemplate the last few years, and although most have been tough, we are grateful for where we are today. With a handful of dedicated adult leaders and enthusiastic scouts, 10th Arcadia managed to overcome near extinction in 2009 and flourish into the well-oiled machine we witnessed this year at Kontiki 2019. Our Group History: The group, 10th Arcadia, was established on the 1st of March 1921, with our centenary approaching soon. The home of 10th Arcadia was eventually rooted in Beckett Street where our hall was built. Our group has never really been affluent, on the contrary, in 2009 when the demographic of the group changed, we shifted into a position as that of a developing group. That year, in 2009, we had no Cub Pack, only two Scouts and two adult leaders. With the dedication of Jac Burger and Chris Baron the troop started to grow. Their complete enthusiasm and love for the Scout movement was contagious and resonated with their scouts, inspiring them to recruit more members to the movement. In 2010 it was decided to take on the challenge and reopen the Cub Pack which at that point had been closed for five years. Samantha Baron became the Pack Scouter and ran the pack for almost 5 years, after which she became the Scout Group Leader, handing over a strong pack of 20+ Cubs to her successors. The pack is running very successfully today with strong parental influence and involvement. To this day, we do not have a multitude of Scouts that attend every Friday like other groups. In fact, we won Kontiki this year with only twelve Scouts, yes, TWELVE Scouts. The difference is that the Scouts who do attend have made scouting a lifestyle, not just a hobby, and 10th Arcadia their home, not just a group. Scouts is deep-seated into their very core, making just a handful of these 10th Arcadians a power house. Our Kontiki History: Our journey and passion for Kontiki started in 2013, where we eventually placed 36th in the raft competition overall. The Scouters had no idea what they were doing, what the competition entailed or what the required standards were to place in any competitions. Jac, Chris and the court of honour spent many afternoons re-designing the raft and propulsion methods. In 2014 this new design resulted in our first top 3 placement where we got 3rd place in Raft pioneering, boosting our overall placement from 36th to 24th for raft competition overall. Further raft design adjustments were made and a large focus was placed on training the Scouts in pioneering and construction. In 2015 we then emerged with our first trophy in raft construction and a 5th placement for raft competition overall. In our 4th year at Kontiki, we decided to enter the supporter’s competition for the first time, 2016 was the toughest, wettest, coldest Kontiki to date. We had significant reservations about having entered the supporter’s competition, however, we brought back 4 trophies in total. We won Raft competition overall, and managed to place 2nd Overall for 2016, missing 1st place by a mere 34 points. 2017 was a tough year for us, as our core Scout group had all left due to age, and we went to Kontiki with an average age of 11.5 years old across all our Scouts. These new Scouts had just come up from Cubs, and although they lacked experience, we still managed 7th in the raft overall as well as two trophies for our model and raft pioneering. The year 2018 was by far the closest we had ever come to winning Kontiki overall, we managed to win the supporters competition overall, we secured 10 certificates and four trophies, and were 6 points away from 1st place overall. Our court of honour decided that 2019 was their year and they had planned many patrol days at the hall, prepping our equipment, prepping our Scouts and getting ready to give 2019 all we had. As you can surmise, we did just that, we pulled of the biggest winning margin since 2013 with an impressive 107-points. The current Troop Scouter, Chris Baron, attributes the win to the spirit of the group which explains why 10th Arcadia has won this trophy two years in a row. He says, “10th Arcadia epitomizes the saying ‘It’s not about the size of the dog in the fight, but about the size of the fight in the dog’. The loyalty and love our Scouts have for their troop is unmatched and unshaken; we may be small, but our actions speak louder than any words or war cries do. Each and every Scout gave their very best effort over this past Kontiki weekend. There is not a single area where we lacked enthusiasm or hard work. “ Our group functions on strong succession plans as we realized this needs to be a cornerstone of how we train our future leaders to prevent the group from ever going back to where we almost closed down. A strong succession plan comes with a strong group identity that is engrained into every Cub and Scout by their Scouters, leaders and peers. If you pull any 10th Arcadia Scout aside and ask them how we do so well consistently, their answer will be the same, “We work harder than everyone else”. Our troop’s motto that is echoed over and over is it the challenge to be better than we were the year before, work harder than we did last year, last month, last week. Our strong Scouter team is crucial to our success. The valued contributions from our Pack Scouter (Felice Babedi), our Troop Scouter (Chris Baron), Assistant Troop Scouters (Dylan Thatcher, Robyn Culverwell, Emily O’Neill and Colin Mackay) and Scout Group Leader (Samantha Baron), every Cub and Scout and parent will resonate years to come. The Kontiki results for 10th Arcadia 3rd model raft 3rd raft construction 3rd supporters competition 1st team spirit 1st spar time activity 1st raft safety awareness 1st raft overall 1st Kontiki overall Well done 10th Arcadia Scout Group. The Arcadia community is very proud of your achievements.
Holiday Food Ideas - for a Day Trip, Camping or a Hike
By Martie Hofmeyr
If you have camping or hiking on your agenda, mapping out your nutrition needs is important. There's plenty to consider besides simply grabbing an energy bar or a bottle of water for your wilderness trip. Here are some tips to ensure you have a nourishing and safe food experience on your next outdoor adventure. Have a Plan Your food and water needs are generally higher than usual on activity-based excursions. Pay extra special attention to packing plenty of fluids for outdoor adventures. Some other key considerations before your hiking or camping trip include: Length of the trip What foods and beverages you'll have to carry If bringing a cooler box is an option What food-related tools you'll need Stay Hydrated Pre-hydrate by drinking at least 4 cups of water before a hike so you have less to carry. Then, a good rule of thumb is to plan for about 2 cups of fluid for every hour of hiking. Food to pack for a Hike or Day Trip: You can pack perishable foods, such as sandwiches, just be sure you have a cold source (such as an ice pack) to keep foods properly chilled to below 5°C. The more you stash in a backpack, the harder it is to hike, so opt mainly for non-perishable foods that are relatively lightweight and nutrient dense, such as: Trail mix Nuts, seeds, nut-based bars or nut butter packs Dried or freeze-dried fruits and veggies Energy bars, chews or gels Granola or granola bars Ready-made tuna salad pouches Whole-grain tortillas Biltong or droewors Food for Camping or Multi-Day Trips: It's a little more challenging to pack food for days at a time. The first day you'll be able to eat perishable foods, but after that, map out your meals so you'll have what you enjoy and need. If you have a cooler, you'll have numerous options. Otherwise, include any of these shelf-stable, easily-packed basics to sustain you: Easy-to-carry foods mentioned above Ready-to-eat cereal Fruit or vegetable puree in squeezable pouches (yes, like baby food) Poultry or fish pouches, canned fish, poultry or meat in individual or regular servings Individual packets of mayo, mustard, soy or other sauce Whole-grain pasta, couscous, rice mix, pancake mix, hot cereal, dried soups and dehydrated foods (if you have the ability to boil water) Marshmallows — for a campfire dessert, of course Bottled water and possibly powdered beverage mixes Remember Food Safety Practices Always follow good food safety practices — from packing to plating. Remember that perishable food cannot be kept out in hot weather (32°C or higher) for more than one hour; in mild weather for more than two hours. A good reason to go hiking in the winter! Pack these food safety essentials: Disposable wipes and biodegradable soap Bowls and plates Kettle or cooking pot and matches Eating and cooking utensils Tin opener Ice packs, if applicable Rubbish bags Portable water filters or water purification tablets Thermometers for cooler and cooked meat, if applicable And follow these food safety rules: Wash hands often. This includes before and after eating. Keep raw meats and ready-to-eat foods separate. Use extra plates that you've packed — one for raw and one for prepared foods. Cook to proper temperatures. Use a food thermometer to be sure cooked food has reached a safe internal temperature. Refrigerate promptly below 5°C. Of course, if you don't have a fridge, pack perishable food, including meat or poultry, with plenty of ice or ice packs in a well-insulated cooler. Store leftovers in the cooler only if it still has ice. And keep the cooler in as cool a place as possible. Enjoy the hike!
THE 2019 TREE OF THE YEAR The Marula
The first week of September each year is declared Arbour Week and citizens are encouraged to plant a tree or trees. Every year an indigenous tree is chosen as the tree of the year. This year it is the Marula. The history of the marula tree goes back thousands of years. Archaeological evidence shows the marula tree was a source of nutrition as long as ago as 10,000 years B.C. Marula, Scelerocarya birrea, subspecies caffera, is one of Africa' botanical treasures. In the Pomongwe Cave in Zimbabwe, it is estimated that 24 million marula fruits were eaten. Not only the fruit, but also the nuts, are rich in minerals and vitamins. Legends about marula abound - from its use as a food source, magical qualities as a healing ingredient, to its virility/fertility properties, and the many uses of its bark, leaves, fruit, nut and kernels. Most well known as the fruit that 'drives elephants mad' when dropped to the ground and lightly fermented, marula is a much-loved tree in the veld in Africa. It was a dietary mainstay in South Africa, Botswana and Namibia throughout ancient times. Abundant in fruit and in numbers, the marula tree is found widely in many of South Africa's Game Parks and rural communities including Limpopo Province, KwaZulu Natal, Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga. A beautiful, leafy tree that is both drought resistant and yields exceptional fruit per tree, S. birrea is highly prized in Africa. It is widely distributed from 20ºN to 30ºS, and is found in 29 countries, but few have succeeded in commercially harvesting the fruit and/or nuts. A prolific fruit bearer, one single tree can bear up to 500 kg of fruit per year; in fact an exceptional tree in Pretoria is known regularly to produce a tonne of fruit! Marula is a medium to large tree, usually 9 metres tall, but can grow up to 18 metres. It is single-stemmed with a dense, spreading crown and deciduous foliage. Fascinatingly enough, only the female trees bears fruits, while the male tree displays flower. The tree grows well between 769 to 921m in elevation, and occurs in semi-arid to sub humid portions of Africa. Marula wood has been traditionally used for carving pestles and mortars, bowls, drums, beehives and stools and even canoes in some areas. During colonial times it was even used for tomato boxes and toilet seats. Regarded as a sacred tree in Africa, the marula is protected in communal lands under the local chief. Because of its leafy foliage and shade-bearing size, it is popular with villages for local meetings, and often in a ploughed field will be the only tree left standing. The marula tree is often the spiritual centre for ritual activity in kraals and villages. The bark of the tree has medicinal properties and is used widely in treating dysentery and diarrhoea, rheumatism, insect bites and a variety of other ailments. Essence from the leaves is said to provide a remedy for abscesses, spider bites and burns. Preliminary tests show weak pharmalogical activity relative to hypertension, anti-inflammation and painkilling. The Marula bears small round shaped fruit; (green in colour when unripe) that ripens to a yellow colour and can be harvested by being collected from the ground from January to March. The pulp is used as a base for juices, jams, jellies, ciders and alcoholic drinks. The peel of the fruit is believed to have more than 27 different kinds of flavours and contains ten newly-isolated volatile esters that may be able to be extracted for use in aromatherapy, homeopathic medicines and essential oils and the freeze dried pulp of the marula fruit can be used in a number of cosmetic applications. Other products are the marula tea and as flavourant for ice –creams, etc. The fruit pulp contains up to four times vitamin C than oranges. Even though this fruit is seasonal, it can be processed into pulp in large volumes and stored frozen for a period of over a year. REFERENCES Source: www.marula.org.za Image Sources: https://southcoastherald.co.za/288653/guide-grow-marula-tree-seed/ https://www.greenandgrowing.org/marula-fruit-sustainable-culture/
Kennel Cough
Winter has arrived and with it the usual colds and flu in humans. But did you know your animals are susceptible too? If your dog is hacking away or constantly making noises that make it sound like he's choking on something, he may have a case of kennel cough, or canine infectious tracheobronchitis. Although kennel cough can sound terrible, most of the time it is not a serious condition, and most dogs will recover without treatment. What is Kennel Cough? Just as human colds may be caused by many different viruses, kennel cough itself can have multiple causes. One of the most common culprits is a bacterium called Bordetella bronchiseptica m-- which is why kennel cough is often called Bordetella. Most dogs that become infected with Bordetella are infected with a virus at the same time. These viruses, which are known to make dogs more susceptible to contracting Bordetella infection, include canine adenovirus, canine distemper virus, canine herpes virus, parainfluenza virus and canine reovirus. Dogs "catch" kennel cough when they inhale bacteria or virus particles into their respiratory tract. This tract is normally lined with a coating of mucus that traps infectious particles, but there are a number of factors that can weaken this protection and make dogs prone to kennel cough infection, which results in inflammation of the larynx (voice box) and trachea (windpipe). These factors include: Exposure to crowded and/or poorly ventilated conditions, such as are found in many kennels and shelters Cold temperatures Exposure to dust or cigarette smoke Travel-induced stress Symptoms of Kennel Cough The classic symptom of kennel cough is a persistent, forceful cough. It often sounds like a goose honk. This is distinct from a cough-like sound made by some dogs, especially little ones, which is called a reverse sneeze. Reverse sneezes can be normal in certain dogs and breeds, and usually only indicates the presence of post-nasal drip or a slight irritation of the throat. Some dogs with kennel cough may show other symptoms of illness, including sneezing, a runny nose, or eye discharge. If your dog has kennel cough, he probably will not lose his appetite or have a decreased energy level. Treating and Preventing Kennel Cough Kennel cough is highly contagious. If you think your dog might have the condition, you should keep him away from other animals and contact your veterinarian. Although most cases of kennel cough will resolve without treatment, medications may speed recovery or minimize symptoms during the course of infection. These include antibiotics that target Bordetella bacteria and cough medicines. You may also find that keeping your dog in a well-humidified area and using a harness instead of a collar, especially for dogs that strain against a leash, will minimize the coughing. Most dogs with kennel cough recover completely within three weeks, though it can take up to six weeks in older dogs or those with other medical conditions. Because serious, ongoing kennel cough infection can lead to pneumonia, be sure to follow up with your veterinarian if your dog doesn't improve within the expected amount of time. Also, if your dog at any time has symptoms of rapid breathing, not eating, or listlessness, contact your vet right away, as these could be signs of more serious conditions. REFERENCES Source: www.pets.webmd.com EMPLOYMENT WANTED Minah (48 years old) has been employed as a domestic worker in Arcadia for the past 5 years. She has 1 or 2 days open for general household work. She has performed outstandingly in all tasks allocated to her. For more information contact: 082 539 1880 or 012 430 2475 Community Notice Board