Community stalwart celebrates

Glenda King celebrates ‘three-score years and ten’ - most of it spent in helping others

She is the solid brick of the kind that builds strong communities. When Richards Bay legend Glenda King celebrated her 70th birthday last week, tributes poured in from those who have benefitted from her humanitarian efforts over many years. Not only has Glenda invested thousands of hours into community work, she has done this voluntarily and at great personal cost and sacrifice. It is especially in the ranks of the SA Red Cross and the Women’s Institute that she has made her mark. She was a member of the South African Red Cross Society from 1955 to 1995, including serving as District Commandant, SA Red Cross, Northern Cape (1965-1970) and District Commandant, Zululand (1971–1985). In 1981, Glenda was awarded the Red Cross medal for meritorious service and in 1996 she received her 40 year long service award. As Zululand Chairperson, Glenda convened the Red Cross Debutantes Ball, providing funds for Red Cross work throughout Zululand from 1977 to 1997, raising over R250 000. She was given a special award in 1987 by the Society for ‘valuable services you have rendered to the cause of humanity’ - only the second occasion that this award had ever been made in KZN.

Massive role
Other significant community contributions include:
• Presented with a Merit Award by the Rotary Club of Richards Bay in 1985 for ‘Devoted and unselfish Service above self to the Community’.
• Chaired a Zululand Committee to distribute R6-million to assisting in the development of self-sustainable projects like gardening and chicken farming.
• Did voluntary work for RBM for 19 years in assisting teachers with teaching aids at rural schools in that area.
• As Chairperson of the Volunteers Committee from 2003-2005, assisted with furnishing of houses at Amangwe Village and in obtaining school stationery for orphans identified by the Amangwe staff.
• Over the past five years has collected funds from private and corporate sponsors to provide school stationery for AIDS orphans.
• Runs a small Education Fund to assist children in distress, giving them school uniforms, stationery, birthday and Christmas presents.
• Played a significant role during the floods in Zululand in 1987, organising the collecting and distribution of food parcels, clothing and blankets.
• Has privately supported many charities and underprivileged persons in the area.
• Was voted ‘Zululand Woman of the Year’ in 2009 by the Zululand Group of Women’s Institutes.
• Member of the Parent/Teachers Association of St Catherine’s convent.
Glenda has always been heavily involved in the Women’s Institute movement. A founder member of the Richards Bay WI, she served as Secretary for two years.
She has also been a member of the KwaMbonambi WI (1971–1976), a Zululand Executive Member for WI for five years, ending in 2009, and a member of the Federation of WI Manco in 2008 and 2009.