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THE GREYTON POST
MAR /APRIL 2025
Building While Flying: Raising Funds To Support A Fire Service In A Small South African Community T he recent fire behind Park Street was a stark reminder of how more urgent by the day. Much like in a startup, they are not just raising money; they Mike Ash
bearing down on your home, your family, your pets, and everything you’ve built, you cannot truly appreciate the relief of seeing help arrive. At that moment, if asked for a donation, you wouldn’t hesitate. You’d give as much as you could, because gratitude in the face of survival is a powerful thing. The challenge now is convincing people to act before disaster strikes. Memories fade. Relief turns to ambivalence. There is always another call on your funds. But fire doesn’t wait. Climate change, reckless arsonists, tragic accidents, and the forces of nature won’t pause just because we stop thinking about them. The reality remains—we are at the mercy of luck, a handful of brave volunteers, and our willingness to invest in our own protection. That’s why we must act now. Raising funds for a functioning and effective
are building capacity as they go—training volunteers, sourcing essential gear, and forging partnerships to ensure sustainability. Every contribution gets them closer to landing this plane safely—to a future where lives, homes, and livelihoods are protected, not left to chance. This isn’t just an investment in equipment. It’s an investment in resilience, security, and
vulnerable we are. The realisation that homes, livelihoods, and lives could be lost in an instant—and that we lack the proper equipment to fight back— was a sobering one. Thanks to quick action by local volunteers, the Overberg District helicopter team dropping water bombs, and a fortunate break in the wind, disaster was averted. No one was hurt, no property was lost. But next time, we might not be so lucky. For many, this will simply be another event in ‘fire season’—an accepted part of life in South Africa. But the truth is, containing that fire required a small team, led by Gavin Jones and Simon Struben, to assess the threat, call for reinforcements, and direct a solution. These people are not paid professionals. They are volunteers,
while we could present facts, figures, and statistics about the dangers of being without a fire service, we know that logic alone may not be enough to change minds. Instead, we invite you to imagine the impact—a family’s home saved, lives protected, a community empowered. Emergencies don’t wait, and in those crucial moments, having the right resources could mean the difference between survival and devastation. Rather than convincing, we aim to inspire action. A small contribution today could be the reason a house is still standing tomorrow. And if you’re still unsure, we welcome you to watch, engage, and see firsthand how this initiative will transform our community. Because when the fire comes, it won’t ask whether you believed in the need for an effective fire service—it will simply take what stands in its way. To make a donation (where financially possible R1,000 per household) Name: Greyton Volunteer Firefighters Bank: FNB Acc. no: 63131550287
the future of our community. GVFF are already in motion. Now they need your support to keep this mission airborne. Whether through donations, equipment, or expertise, this is the time to act—because when the next fire comes, having the right resources in place will mean the difference between survival and devastation. A Major Step Forward: A Fire Truck for Greyton Thanks to an incredibly generous donation of R400,000 from an anonymous donor through Rotary International, we are now able to go ahead and purchase Greyton’s much- needed fire truck. This is a huge milestone for our community, one that brings us significantly closer to ensuring we have the resources needed to combat future fires. A Response to Those Hesitant to Donate for the Volunteer Fire Service We understand that not everyone is immediately convinced when asked to contribute to a cause like this. As Neil deGrasse Tyson wisely said, “You can’t use reason to convince anyone out of an argument that they didn’t use reason to get into.” Some may hesitate due to skepticism, past experiences, or simply not seeing the immediate urgency. And
fire service is like building a plane while flying it—we can’t afford to wait for perfect conditions, because every moment counts. Fires don’t wait for funding rounds or bureaucratic approvals, and neither can we. Right now, GVFF are assembling the pieces— securing commitments, rallying community support, and identifying funding sources—all while the need for a fully equipped response team grows
driven by a sense of duty and community responsibility to protect this valley from destruction at risk to themselves and their own families. Fire services are called essential for a reason. They are the backbone of safety, the infrastructure that allows us to live, work, and welcome visitors with peace of mind. But until you’ve faced a wall of flames, moving faster than you can run,
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