When you walk or drive through Pringle Bay the ravages of the devastating fires that swept through the area earlier this year are still evident.
While some residents have moved on unscathed and others are trying to repair damages, a handful of residents of this coastal village are struggling to rebuild their lives after losing all their belongings when their homes burnt down during the blaze.
If it weren’t for the brave firefighters who put their own safety and lives on the line to protect the community and their property, the damage could have been much worse. In the midst of battling to keep the fire from ravaging the Hangklip Hotel one courageous volunteer firefighter got the tragic news that his house at Sea Farm Private Nature Reserve had burnt to the ground.
Unknown to him at the time Christoff Theunissen captured this touching moment on camera. Now he and another photographer, Robert van Dijk, have donated some of their images to be auctioned at the Flames and Frames fundraiser at Hangklip Hotel to raise much-needed funds for the Pringle Bay Ratepayers Association Volunteer Firefighters and First Responders.
The auction will form part of a family fun day at the iconic Hangklip Hotel held on Saturday 4 May, which is also International Firefighters’ Day.
The fun will start at 11:00 and extend into the evening with fun-filled family-friendly activities. Kids can embark on exciting adventures with treasure hunts and bouncing castles, while adults can immerse themselves in the captivating beauty of Pringle Bay through an auction featuring remarkable photographs of local scenery.
Some of the photographs by Theunissen and Van Dijk will be auctioned off in digital format, while a number of other images that have been printed and blocked will be sold to the highest bidder.
“The Flames and Frames fundraiser,” said the owners of the Hangklip Hotel in Pringle Bay, “is an event dedicated to honouring our courageous first responders and supporting those who helped extinguish the flames and save our cherished hotel. There are 20 printed block-mounted and 40 digital images that will be auctioned.”
“As we come together to celebrate our community’s resilience let’s also raise funds to express our gratitude to the heroes who risked their lives for us,” the organisers stated. “Join us for a day of fun, generosity and heartfelt appreciation.”
