There are some businesses in a town that become part of the rhythm of everyday life – the places people pop into for the essentials, the familiar faces behind the counters, the stores that quietly help keep homes running and communities connected. For around 30 years, SPAR has been one of those constants in Graaff-Reinet.
Union High School, Graaff-Reinet is deeply grateful to continue our 𝗚𝗢𝗔𝗟𝗦 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗚𝗢𝗢𝗗 series by recognising the support of 𝗦𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘂 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗦𝗣𝗔𝗥 and 𝗖𝗮𝗺𝗱𝗲𝗯𝗼𝗼 𝗦𝗣𝗔𝗥.
Today the stores are owned by 𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗸𝗸𝗶𝗲 and 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗲𝘁𝘇𝗲𝗲, whose leadership reflects a deep commitment not only to good business, but to the wellbeing of the community around them. Together, the two stores employ 115 people from Graaff-Reinet – 𝘢 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘥𝘰 𝘧𝘢𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘴; 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘥𝘴, 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘴𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘵𝘰𝘸𝘯.
Recently, Union hockey girls 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗼𝗻 𝗪𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗲 and 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗮 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘁𝗼𝗻 popped in to personally thank the SPAR team for coming on board in support of the girls’ journey through Goals for Good.
What makes this partnership especially touching is the charity SPAR has chosen to support: the 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗮𝗳𝗳-𝗥𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘁 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. For 53 years, this remarkable local association has been serving cancer patients and their families with compassion, dedication and quiet strength. Made up of volunteers, the organisation walks alongside patients on what can be an incredibly difficult journey, offering practical help such as meals and linen, while qualified counsellors provide emotional and psychological support when it is needed most.
They also assist with travel and accommodation for patients who need to leave town for treatment – easing some of the burden during an already overwhelming time. 𝗜𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝗲, 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗼𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀 – 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝘂𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗳𝗲𝗹𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹, 𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗱, 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁.
That is what makes the Goals for Good campaign so special. It is about more than goals scored on a hockey field. It is about linking the energy and determination of young sportswomen with the generous hearts of local businesses and the important work of charities that care for the people of Graaff-Reinet.
On behalf of Union High School and our 1st team hockey girls, we extend our 𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗧𝗙𝗘𝗟𝗧 𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗞𝗦 to Frikkie and Martinette Coetzee, and to the teams at Spandau SuperSPAR and Camdeboo SPAR, for their generosity, their faith in our girls and their continued investment in the community we are so proud to call home
