The fires in Cape Town last week have given rise to a community spirit that reaches far beyond the Mother City – and even South Africa. Actor and director Kevin Spacey is one US celeb who’s joined the call for donations to the Volunteer Wildfire Services (VWS).
Inspiring film from @GinkgoAgency. CT community united in response to fires. My thoughts to a city I love. #CapeFire http://t.co/pOB2h3CVl2
— Kevin Spacey (@KevinSpacey) March 6, 2015
We’re with Spacey here: among all of our superhero firefighters, the folks at VWS deserve a special mention: the 180-strong team comprises entirely of volunteers, who are not paid for their work.
The Gingko Agency has produced a short video – highlighting the spirit of the Cape Town firefighting community and calling for donations to VWS.
Cape Town on Fire – A Community in Crisis from Ginkgo Agency on Vimeo.
VWS marketing & communications director Patrick Ryan told The Daily Vox that there has been a “large increase in donations†since the fires last week. He was not able to give a specific figure, since the money received has not yet been audited, and more donations are still incoming. However, a fundraising drive by Kfm last week generated more than R3-million.
VWS has been going for 15 years but, as a volunteer organisation its existence has until now been somewhat precarious.
“[The money raised] is going to be crucial to our longevity,†Ryan said. “Every year we’ve literally been existing on a shoestring budget. Now, once the impact of this fire has died down, we’ll still able to keep going.â€
Ryan said that the money raised would go towards keeping the VWS vehicles, which are all second-hand, running as well as providing the correct protective equipment for the organisation’s firefighters.
If you would like to make a donation to VWS, their website offers a range of options, from one-off donations to ongoing pledges.Â