{"id":225296,"date":"2019-12-06T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-12-06T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/225296\/senior-citizens-take-to-the-skies\/"},"modified":"2019-12-06T15:58:03","modified_gmt":"2019-12-06T13:58:03","slug":"senior-citizens-take-to-the-skies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/germiston-city-news\/news-headlines\/2019\/12\/06\/senior-citizens-take-to-the-skies\/","title":{"rendered":"Senior citizens take to the skies"},"content":{"rendered":"

Residents of Thembalami and the Max Ordman Deaf Association (MODA) in Lombardy East were on a high recently when they took to the skies for the first time in their lives.<\/p>\n

An annual event, the Elders’ Flight, which is the brainchild of pilot Felix Gosher, gives elders the opportunity to go flying and to enjoy the day in the company of others.<\/p>

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The Thembalami and MODA residents arrived at Rand Airport bright and early and enjoyed a day filled to capacity.<\/p>\n

Although the highlight was the chance to go up in an aircraft, they enjoyed many other treats, including a champagne breakfast, entertainment by the Trinity House Marimba Choir, Jeppe Boys bagpipers and an aerobatics display by the Puma Energy Flying Lions and aerobatics champion Nigel Hopkins.<\/p>

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Elders’ Flight founder Felix Gosher (second from right) with the deaf elders Heidi McCartney, Shaun White, Jean Truter, Elizabeth Forster, David Mansell, Estelle Mansell, Angela Swarts, Annette Verskin, Felix Gosher and Jane Schwikkard. They enjoyed themselves immensely at Rand Airport recently.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Guest of honour ex-Mirage F1 fighter pilot Arthur Piercy shared his inspirational story with the elders.<\/p>\n

Arthur is wheelchair bound following an accident in 1987, when the tail of his Mirage F1CZ was badly damaged in a dogfight with a Cuban pilot.<\/p>\n

Championing the MODA residents on the day was Polly van Aardt, who is also deaf.<\/p>\n

A teacher at St Vincent School for the Deaf, she is a founder of Deaf Volunteers and InnovSight, and also a committee member of DeaFusion NPC.<\/p>\n

\u201cDeaf Volunteers contributes to the deaf community, including deaf children and elders, especially MODA residents,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Her husband, Kevin, is always happy to step in as a volunteer interpreter.<\/p>\n

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Children treated to a day of high-flying thrills<\/a><\/p>\n

Keeping the skies safe<\/a><\/p>\n

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Elize Raath of Thembalami said each elder also received a beautiful blue T-shirt, a cap and a goodie bag.<\/p>\n

\u201cTwelve MODA residents, six residents from Thembalami and six members of our Zamokuhle Service Centre went along on the day.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey were joined by our matron Paulina Namo, staff member Tina Tufegdzic and social auxiliary worker Makgati Legodi.<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone had a marvelous time and came back in high spirits,\u201d said Elize.<\/p>\n

MODA was incorporated into Rand Aid\u2019s Thembalami Care Centre, which looks after vulnerable elders, some years ago.<\/p>\n

The MODA residents live in a beautiful, purpose-built wing at the Lombardy East care centre.<\/p>\n

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Hav<\/strong>e a story?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Contact the newsroom by emailing: Melissa Hart (Editor)\u00a0<\/span>germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za,<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>Leigh Hodgson (News Editor)\u00a0<\/span>leighh@caxton.co.za\u00a0<\/a><\/strong>or Ashley Kiley (Journalist)\u00a0ashleyk@caxton.co.za.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

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