{"id":19704,"date":"2013-08-19T11:40:00","date_gmt":"2013-08-19T09:40:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/19704\/standing-up-for-children-with-disabilitiesorcasual-day-ambassador-plays-her-role-for-womens-monthorwoman-of-heart\/"},"modified":"2013-08-19T11:49:06","modified_gmt":"2013-08-19T09:49:06","slug":"standing-up-for-children-with-disabilitiesorcasual-day-ambassador-plays-her-role-for-womens-monthorwoman-of-heart","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/germiston-city-news\/news-headlines\/2013\/08\/19\/standing-up-for-children-with-disabilitiesorcasual-day-ambassador-plays-her-role-for-womens-monthorwoman-of-heart\/","title":{"rendered":"Casual Day ambassador plays her role for Women’s Month"},"content":{"rendered":"

Casual Day ambassador Nicole Laxton’s opened her heart to the children of the Sunshine Early Learning Centre, in Elsburg, recently.<\/p>\n

She has visited the children at the centre as part of her Women’s Month activities.<\/p>

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Nicole delivered giant teddy bears, cupcakes and decorations for the children and dispensed a lot of hugs.<\/p>\n

“On Women’s Day I commended the mothers of the wonderful children I have met at the centre for their spirit and courage,” said Nicole.<\/p>

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Nicole is also a finalist in this year’s Miss Earth SA competition.<\/p>\n

She said her work for the environment and her work as a Casual Day ambassador will not end after the competition.<\/p>\n

Casual Day, on September 6, is said to be one of SA’s most successful fund-raising initiatives for persons with disabilities.<\/p>\n

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Casual Day ambassador, Nicole Laxton, is creating awareness around children with disabilities in the community of Germiston. She is seen here visiting at the Sunshine Early Learning Centre, in Elsburg, recently.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

“Her commitment to community service projects is evident in her appointment as Youth Ambassador for Epilepsy SA when she was only 16 years of age and, more recently, Ambassador for Casual Day,” said Andrea Vinassa, Casual Day publicity and promotions officer.<\/p>\n

“She is encouraging everyone in the Germiston community to support the Sunshine Early Learning Centre’s Casual Day campaign.”<\/p>\n

The centre requires tiling and paint for their kitchen.<\/p>\n

“The school is always in need of a helping hand, but, more than that, I have been moved by the amount of love and kindness I have encountered there,” said Nicole.<\/p>\n

“It was a joy to meet the teachers, parents — and the wonderful children.”<\/p>\n

Nicole’s empathy for persons with disabilities is partly as a result of being diagnosed with absence epilepsy when she was nine years old, but she has never allowed her condition to stand in the way of achieving her dreams and goals.<\/p>\n

“I speak from my own experience, but I am eager to get involved with creating awareness around other conditions,” added Nicole.<\/p>\n

Casual Day project leader Celeste Vinassa says: “The funds raised through Casual Day go a long way to ensure the sustainability of organisations like the Sunshine Centre and we really want the people of Germiston to Go Big on Casual Day.”<\/p>\n

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Here is Nicole Laxton (right) bonding with little Willow van Tonder, one of the children at the Sunshine Early Learning Centre in Elsburg, recently.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The community can show their support by contacting Michael Ngobeni, on 011 827-1738, for Casual Day stickers, caps and shirts.<\/p>\n

For more information about the Sunshine Early Learning Centre, go to www.sunshine.org.za.<\/p>\n

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