Woodhill Issue 3 2016

Y O U R ELITE COM M UNITY P UBLICATION

Best of Pretoria Best Golf Course 2016 A P UB LI CA TI ON OF T H E H OME OW N E RS A SSOC IA TION

ISSU E 3 | 2 0 1 6

05

10 12

06

18

WOODHILL CONTENTS ISSUE 3 | 2016 Letter from the Editor Letter from the General Manager Chairman’s Minute WHOA Board of Directors 2016/17 Security update Best of Pretoria Saving water Are you going barking mad?

Woodhill College Bird watchers paradise Gardening Ladies Captain Men’s Captain

02 05 06 08 10 12 16 18 20 22 24 28 29

Woodhill Charity Fundraising Beneficiaries 2016 U35 Challenge Annual Woodhill Corporate Challenge Woodhill welcomes Coricraft Tennis @ Woodhill Halloween costume ideas Going through the emotions Where to next?

Young Engineers Artificial intelligence Crafty countdown Kids corner Approved Estate Agents

30 32 34 38 42 48 52 54 57 58 60 62 64

WH | CONTENTS

IMPORTANT CONTACT NUMBERS Switchboard 012 998 0011 General Manager Patrick Holden gm@woodhill.co.za Senior Financial Manager Adriaan du Plessis sfm@woodhill.co.za PR & Marketing Manager Sarita Stonehouse marketing@woodhill.co.za Conference/Functions Lizette van der Merwe conference@woodhill.co.za

24 30

Pro Shop Bookings 012 998 0021

Course Superintendent Frikkie Potgieter Frikkie@woodhill.co.za HOA Reception Onica Ramasodi reception@woodhill.co.za Guest Relations Olivia Moholola wccreception@woodhill.co.za Security Control Room & After Hours 012 993 1236 - 24 hour service 071 112 6547 - Emergency PostNet Woodhill Estate (087) 803 4136 woodhillestate@postnet.co.za 1st Floor, HOA Building

TLG Publishing (Pty) Ltd for Woodhill Residential Estate.

ADVERTISING SALES

54

Head of Golf Brendon van Niewenhuizen brendon@woodhill.co.za Golf Co-ordinator Stephan Dreyer golf@woodhill.co.za

PUBLISHER

58 64

Tracey Garde 082 460 6007 | ads1@woodhillmag.co.za

EDITOR Tracey Garde 082 460 6007 | editor@woodhillmag.co.za

DESIGN & LAYOUT Patzwi Design House (Pty) Ltd 081 341 1032 | design@woodhillmag.co.za

WOODHILL MARKETING Sarita Stonehouse | 071 607 6264

All work published in Woodhill Magazine is protected by copyright. Only with written permission from the publisher may any part of this magazine be reproduced or adapted in any form. We welcome contributions to Woodhill Magazine, but the publisher of this magazine retains unrestricted rights to edit submitted material. The publisher will place editorial contributions at its own discretion, space allowing. We do not accept responsibility for material submitted and cannot guarantee the return of any original material. The publisher’s opinion is not necessarily that publishing in Woodhill Magazine and the publisher does not accept any liability of any nature that may arise from the contents of the magazine.

1 | WH | ISSUE 3 | 2016

WH | GENERAL

SPEEDING TOWARDS THE END OF THIS YEAR Letter from the Editor - Tracey-Leigh Garde

Our busiest time of year has begun. With so many exciting events on the calendar over the next two months, Woodhill is abuzz with excitement – golf days, Christmas functions and not to mention the very exciting news of our latest achievement (Best of Pretoria: Best Golf Course).

We look forward to welcoming residents and members to our array of functions.

With the AGM now behind us, we re-introduce the Board of Directors 2016/17 in this issue.

This group of individuals provide our Estate

2 | WH | ISSUE 3 | 2016

with the much needed expertise to ensure that projects are carried out to the best of our ability. The fact that they dedicate so much of their time to overseeing the positive functioning of the Estate is testament to their dedication towards striving to remain the Estate of Choice.

The Chairman’s minute in this issue outlines projects they plan to work on and complete over the next 12 months – all of which will only increase the value of living on our Estate.

The most talked about environmental topic of late is the serious drought we find ourselves, once again, facing. The harsh reality is that the rain just isn’t falling in our catchment areas and although we are enjoying the odd shower every now and then, the risk remains that our water levels are extremely low causing our local Municipality to enforce stronger restrictions which may only get worse as the weeks go by. We have included a letter circulated from MidCity in this issue – please take the time to read it as well as the water

saving tips received from the local council – every drop saved counts.

Woodhill Country Club recently welcomed a new Men’s and Ladies Captain at their AGM. We chatted to both Wessel and Ronel to gain a little bit of perspective on their passion for golf and their excitement at working with the Club going forward.

With our usual birding, gardening and family related editorials, we hope that you have a moment in all the craziness as we head towards the December break to enjoy this issue.

Here’s hoping this last stretch of the year is a smooth ride…

Regards

Tracey

WH | HOA

COMMUNICATION 21st Century

Letter from the General Manager - Patrick Holden

Face-to-face communication is challenging, but we are fortunate to have a number of factors to help us get the message across.

Eye contact , body language, vocal inflection and the ability to correct our message if we have messed up. Phone conversations can still portray, urgency, inflection, emotion and again, the ability to correct any miscommunication.

Texting and e-mails, instant messaging as well as social networking sites are todays communication mediums and with an emoticon list to choose from, these assist in setting the tone of the message.

One of our most challenging tasks at the Estate is that of communication. Considering the advancement of technology on a daily basis, it’s no wonder we are faced with the reality of continuously questioning whether our communication means are effective enough. For the young at heart, we implement Facebook, Twitter and any form of social media that we are sure many of the younger residents of our Estate will respond to. Then we have our 20 to 40 year olds who frequent both social media as well as digital communication in the forms of email newsletters and digital magazines but who still also love their print versions. And not forgetting our older generation who like the idea of digital but are still married to print. This short explanation is our dilemma in a nutshell! So for the moment, we utilise all available forms of communication and we believe that our residents and home owners will respond in some way to at least one.

Although we are equipped to continue with our current communication tools, we would like to invite residents and home owners to contact us should you have any suggestions or solutions to improving our current communication means.

Input from the community is never taken lightly and your opinions matter, so I look forward to working together towards channelling our communication efforts into methods we know will be most effective.

21st Century communication methods are ours for the picking.

Till next month

Patrick 5 | WH | ISSUE 3 | 2016

WH | HOA

Woodhill Home Owners Association:

CHAIRPERSON’S MINUTE We held our Annual General Meeting of the Woodhill Home Owners Association on 15 August 2016. A total of 132 home owners were either present in person or by proxy.

During this AGM the following four Ordinary Resolutions were adopted: • Adoption of the Chairperson’s Report (92%); • Adoption of the Annual Financial Statements for year ending 29 February 2016 (100%); • Approval of an 6% increase in the monthly levy, from 1 October 2016 (88%); and • Approval of the appointment of PWC as our auditors (98%).

The following home owners were elected to serve on the WHOA Board of Directors and at the first meeting of the new WHOA Board, the following portfolios were allocated to the newly elected Board members: • Jack van der Merwe – Chairperson; • Louis Bekker – Deputy Chairperson and Director overseeing the Golfing Experience; • Grant Fraser - Director overseeing PJM and WCC; • Alan Hargroves – Director overseeing PJM and WCC; • Chris Beukman – Financial Director; • Ben Kleynhans – Security Director; • Willie van Zyl – Legal Director; and • Stephan Grabow – Property Development Director.

Subsequently Louis Bekker has elected to step down from the WHOA Board due to serious health issues. I would personally like to thank him for all the long hours he has put

6 | WH | ISSUE 3 | 2016

into the commercialization of the Woodhill assets, e.g. the Pro-shop, the establishment of a training academy at the driving range and the appointment of golfing staff. We all wish him a speedy recovery. His portfolio will be managed by Alan Hargroves and Grant Fraser.

The WHOA Board has committed itself to address and achieve the following goals during the next 12 months: • Completing the roll-out of the thermal cameras on the perimeter fence of the Woodhill Estate by Telkom and maintaining the current high level of security on the Estate.

• Implement the roll-out of Fibre to the Home to each and every household on the Estate. This will result in, free of charge, a phone in each house which will be connected to the security Control Room and the various gates on the Estate. In addition to this, it will provide an option to each household to purchase high speed voice and data services at a reduced monthly rate.

• Start the process to obtain a 90% agreement from home owners to develop identified land parcels on the Estate in order to generate funds for the WHOA. This can be achieved through the sale of land to a developer or through the development by the WHOA of a life-right retirement village.

• The growth of golf membership and the the number of rounds played at Woodhill as a result of the new approach of making golf a family experience with a focus on the youth.

•

•

•

•

Ensuring that we continue to maximise the income to the WHOA through the efficient management of the Pro-shop, the driving range, the golf academy, the golf carts, conferencing and banqueting as well as a competent caterer in the club house.

Ensure that the WHOA, together with the other gated communities in the area, has legal representation to oppose the re-location of Plastic View to an area adjacent to Woodlands Shopping Centre.

Investigate the possibility of becoming a bulk supplier of electricity to the Woodhill home owners which could result in huge cost savings.

Complete the investigation on the cost and impact on WHOA of taking over the municipal roads within the Estate.

This is going to be an exciting year with many new and challenging projects on the drawing board. The WHOA Board will endeavor to keep home owners informed on progress.

Jack vd Merwe WHOA Board Chairperson

WH | HOA

7 | WH | ISSUE 3 | 2016

WH | HOA

WOODHILL Homeowners Association Board of Directors 2016/17

We are pleased to re-introduce our recently elected Board of Directors and we look forward to a productive year ahead…

1. JACK VD MERWE Chairman Jack is a Civil Engineer, obtaining degrees from the University of Pretoria. He is also a graduate of the Harvard Business School SED programme.

He has been employed by government in the public transport sector for more than 44 years and is currently the Chief Executive of the Gautrain Management Agency.

In 2011 he was appointed by the Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Roads & Transport to head up a special team of experts tasked with developing an 25 year Integrated Transport Master Plan for the Province of Gauteng (ITMP25).

In 2011 he was elected UATP President for Africa (an African association of urban and regional passenger transport operators, authorities, consultants and suppliers) and Vise-President of UITP (the World wide association of urban and regional passenger transport operators, authorities, consultants and suppliers). He also serves as a member on the UITP Executive and Policy Boards.

In 2012 the Premier appointed him as the project leader for the Ekurhuleni Aerotropolis project.

IN 2010 Mr van der Merwe was awarded the University of Pretoria’s Laureate Award for exceptional achievements and promoting the interests of the University of Pretoria by the Tuks Alumni Board.

Jack and his wife, Lizette, have been homeowners in Woodhill since 2010.

2. CHRIS BEUKMAN Finance Director I was born in Pretoria and have been living here ever since. I graduated from the

8 | WH | ISSUE 3 | 2016

University of Pretoria in 1975 and qualified as a Chartered Accountant (SA) at that time. I have been a partner with 36 years’ of service in one of the big four accounting firms and retired as the Chief Financial Officer of that firm in May 2014.

In 2002 my wife, Leonie, and I moved into a house in Woodhill and we have been enjoying the relaxed lifestyle in this very pretty and secure Woodhill environment. We enjoy playing golf and have been fortunate to meet and befriend many interesting people at Woodhill during these years.

The Woodhill Homeowners Association’s Board allocated the Finance portfolio to me for 2015/16. I believe my previous experience with the financial affairs on the Estate will allow me to quickly get to grips with the various financial challenges that are and will be facing the homeowners of Woodhill as we all strive to make Woodhill the Estate of Choice.

3. BEN KLEYNHANS Security Director Benita and myself have been married for almost 33 years and have been living in Woodhill for some 15 years. Feeling very blessed that our two children are still at home, completing studies, both of us are working from home offices, in the Financial Services and Estate Executor Services respectively.

I am currently serving as Director Security, a position I held for almost four and a half years in the early 2000’s. Being the ‘hot’ potato Portfolio of the moment, I look forward to a comprehensive planning session with all involved parties as early as possible. The idea is to have a proper Master Plan for Security, whilst keeping an eye on costs.

While it’s important to allow space for the professionals to do their jobs and to stick to proper channels, residents are welcome to contact me with any comments or questions.

4. WILLIE VAN ZYL Legal Director I have resided in our beautiful estate for many years and I have been a member of Woodhill Country Club since 2004. I am a practising attorney and have been admitted as such for longer than 24 years. I am also an admitted notary and conveyancer. My legal qualifications are BLC Degree (University of Pretoria); LLB Degree (University of Pretoria); and Adv. Dip. Labour Law (University of Johannesburg). I was awarded the right of appearance in the Supreme Court in the beginning of 1996.

Other than golf (of which I do not play enough!), I am a keen cyclist who annually takes part in many mountain bike and road races such as the Argus/Cape Town tour and the 94.7 races. I hate to admit that my rugby and karate days are long over but it still holds on good memories being part of those sports. I was awarded my 4th dann in Karate by the Funakoshi Shotokan Karate Association and was awarded national colours on several occasions.

I am married to my beautiful wife, Carine, and we love life in Woodhill Residential and Golf Estate with our 16 year old daughter, Marine.

5. STEPHAN GRABOW Land Development Director With a B.Comm Law and LLB obtained from the University of Pretoria, I embarked on my own business in 1994 and have since built up a large commercial and retail property portfolio.

I moved onto the Estate 13 years ago and have loved living here ever since. Summer is my favourite time of year when we get to enjoy the Woodhill lifestyle at its best – nothing beats a good braai next to the pool with family and friends. The Estate provides me with the

WH | HOA

opportunity to spend quality time with my family which is important. I love sport and partake in regular rounds of golf.

My wife, Geraldine and I have been married for 24 wonderful years, with a beautiful 16 year old daughter Jessie-Leigh.

6. ALAN HARGROVES Woodhill Country Club Director – including Communications

I’m passionate about sport, have provincial colours in hockey and chess, but these days I direct my OCB towards golf.

I started out in Civil Engineering in the eighties, completed an MBA through the University of Southern Queensland and my career has transformed to where I find myself today as the Chief Operating Officer for Absa Home Loans.

We live in the most awesome estate in the country and I am grateful the homeowners have deemed it fit for me to represent their interests and provide my contribution to ensuring Woodhill Residential and Golf Estate is the Estate of Choice!

1

2

5

7. GRANT FRASER Woodhill Country Club Director – including Communications I am a previous WCC Board Member and Club Captain at Woodhill Country Club. I have been in the car rental industry for 28 years and I am currently a Board Member of Bidvest Car Rental.

I have been assigned the portfolio of Woodhill Country Club together with fellow director Alan Hargroves.

3

6

4

7 9 | WH | ISSUE 3 | 2016

WH | SECURITY

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Security Update

10 | WH | ISSUE 3 | 2016

WH | SECURITY

The Security Upgrade/Telkom FTTH (Fibre to the Home) project is well underway. Residents are urged to complete and submit the Telkom application forms – either at the Clubhouse, or online.

indicate that the criminal element is very active outside Woodhill in our immediate vicinity. Residents are urged to be vigilant at all times and to report any unusual behaviour or activities.

THIS IS REGARDLESS OF WHETHER YOU ARE ALREADY A TELKOM CLIENT, AND REGARDLESS OF WHETHER YOU INTEND TO CONTRACT WITH TELKOM IN THE FUTURE- WE NEED EVERY RESIDENTS’ FORM – PLEASE!

Problems:

This application form is needed: 1. To enable Telkom to install the security device that will connect your home to our Control Room – via fibre; and it 2. Allows Telkom to make contact with residents for an appointment to check current ‘pipe/conduit’ (street to your home) suitability for fibre.

Complexes Included: The respective Body Corporates need to check with our General Manager, Patrick Holden, to ensure their respective complexes have proper connectivity sleeves for fibre.

Very Important: The current sleeve (conduit) that carries the existing Telkom cable (from your street to your home) may not be Fibre ready. Telkom has confirmed that, should you apply for their Broadband Special Offer, they will carry the costs to upgrade or install (make ready for Fibre) this sleeve from the street into your home. TO QUALIFY FOR THIS FREE LINE INSTALLATION OFFER, TELKOM MUST HAVE RECEIVED YOUR APPLICATION BEFORE END OCTOBER 2016.

After the 2-month Broadband Special Offer (Free Superfast Broadband, starting from the date that your ‘line’ goes live) you may cancel the Telkom contract.

In other news: We’ve been lucky to report a clean sheet.

Reports from our security staff do however

•

•

•

Pipe Cars: we are aware of this problem and can assure residents that proper steps (a sizable fine) WILL be taken. The Board is adamant that we will not allow a few people to spoil the tranquillity for all.

If you own such a vehicle and allow your children to use this on the Estate, please take note that it’s not allowed.

Dogs without a leash: as most of our residents understand, it is difficult to ‘police’ dogs without a leash, therefore we do request residents to respect the rules, as well as your fellow residents.

Noisy neighbours: this remains a problem from time-to-time. With the Festive Season fast approaching, please take note: our security personnel will react to a complaint ONLY ONCE. If the problem persists; they are under instruction to call the SAPS to handle the matter. (We have already made arrangements). The fact of the matter is that our security staff has a very specific role and cannot be kept busy with inconsiderate, noisy residents.

I’d like to remind residents of our dedicated security Facebook page: Secure@Woodhill.

This page contains info on the FTTH upgrades, FAQ’s and application forms. (https://www. facebook.com/groups/secureatwoodhill/).

Residents are welcome to contact me or our General Manager, Patrick Holden, should they have any questions.

Regards

Ben Kleynhans (Director Security) ben@akropolis.co.za

11 | WH | ISSUE 3 | 2016

WH | GENERAL

BEST OF PRETORIA - Rekord Readers’ Choice Awards Every year our local newspaper, the Rekord, gives its readers the chance to vote for their favourites in and around our beautiful city. The ballot opens once a year around July and you will find it either in the local paper or online at www.bestofpretoria.co.za.

One of the most important rules is that you have to reside within the Best of Pretoria footprint (Pretoria suburbs where a copy of the Rekord Newspaper must be delivered to your home address).

There is no way for businesses within each category to enter the competition, it’s all based on our readers choices and their votes. So, in order to win within your category, you have to make sure you are the very best in your area of expertise and encourage your customers to vote for you – customers can vote as many times as they would like to.

Winning a Best of Pretoria award in your category gives your business the nod of approval by the most important people – your customers. Winners receive a Best of Pretoria certificate which can be proudly displayed.

Best of Pretoria came about as there is simply no better place to live.

The city has so much to offer, and its versatility knows no bounds. Think purple streets in October, the crowd on Loftus Versveld when the Bulls score a try, and the happy sounds of vuvuzelas from hooting taxis draped in Mamelodi Sundowns flags.

12 | WH | ISSUE 3 | 2016

WH | GENERAL

News just in!

On 24 October 2016, Woodhill Golf Estate will be awarded the Best of Pretoria: Best Golf Course Award.

We are so excited that we wanted to share the news with you first. Well done to our Woodhill team.

13 | WH | ISSUE 3 | 2016

WH | GOLF

14 | WH | ISSUE 3 | 2016

E T A D AR THE HE YE

SAVR BEIGGEST EVENT OF T U

FOR O

DENTS

RESI NUAL

ILL AN

s e i d kid e e r t s a m t s i r ch H WOOD

FRI,

6 1 0 2 V 25 NO FROM

5PM

Wonderful kiddies entertainment, treats and a

visit from Father Christmas CRAFT MARKET IN THE CLUBHOUSE 24 AND 25 NOV 2016 If you would like to book a table please contact Olivia at wccreception@woodhill.co.za LOOK OUT FOR MORE DETAILS CLOSER TO THE TIME

WH | GENERAL

WATER Let’s save

together

Water Facts • A five minute shower uses 30L of water.

• A bath uses 90L of water.

• Flushing a toilet uses 9L of water.

• Washing dishes in a dishwasher uses 40L of water.

• Washing the car with a bucket uses 10L of water.

• A sprinkler uses 540L of water per hour.

• Cleaning your teeth with the tap running uses 6L of water.

• Washing your hands and face uses 4L of water.

• A paddling pool holds 400L of water.

• Filling a kettle uses 2,5L of water • Using a hose without a trigger nozzle uses 500L of water an hour.

What does water wise mean?

• To have the utmost RESPECT for water.

• To use water carefully and not WASTE it.

• To not POLLUTE rivers with liquid and solid waste.

• To PAY for water services.

• To REPORT all water leaks.

Water Wise Tips We have to pay for our water consumption to ensure the upkeep of the in-water and sanitation infrastructure that delivers safe water to consumers. Water conservation practices in our dry country will ensure that more people have access to safe water.

Practising the water saving tips will contribute towards ensuring an adequate, safe and sustainable water supply to everyone.

• Install a low-flow shower head and tap aerators where possible.

• Use a dual-flush toilet cistern.

• Try to plant indigenous or droughtresistant shrubs in your garden.

• Water gardens before 06:00 or after 18:00 and only when necessary.

• Collect rainwater for re-use in the garden

16 | WH | ISSUE 3 | 2016

WH | GENERAL

• • • • •

or washing the car.

Use a broom instead of a hosepipe when cleaning driveways or patios.

Cover your swimming pool to reduce water evaporation.

Shower rather than bath.

Close a running tap while brushing your teeth or shaving.

Regularly check toilets and taps for leaks.

Keep your water bills low • Reduce your daily usage of water and identify ways to economise water usage.

• Re-use water wherever possible. Most water coming from a tap can be used at least twice.

• Repair leaking pipes, taps and toilet cisterns.

• Do a water audit and identify where water is wasted.

Did You Know?

• A leaking toilet can waste up to 16 000L of water in one year!

• A tap left running can waste up to 17L of water per minute!

• The bathroom uses around 49% of all water used inside the home!

• An eight minute shower using a regular shower head uses around 120L of water.

A water efficient shower head uses less than 72L! • A dripping tap can waste as much as 24 000L of water in one year!

• A water-efficient tap with an aerator or flow restrictor uses 50% less water than a standard tap!

High Water Consumption The three main causes of high water consumption are – 1. a dripping tap; 2. a running toilet; and 3. pipes that leak.

WH | PETS

Do you feel

BARKING MAD? There is nothing more upsetting or annoying than the neighbours dog whose incessant barking keeps you awake at night. Of course, most likely the owners won’t believe you when you politely ask them to please make a plan because every time they leave, their dog barks till they return!

If you have a gorgeous fury friend whom you suspect might just be driving your neighbours barking mad, then perhaps some of the advice we found below might help…

It’s unreasonable to think that a dog will never bark! Half the point of having them as pets is to alert us to any potential danger but our dogs can be taught to only bark at the danger and not at every little thing that moves. First order of business is to try to determine why your dog is barking and if so, is there a way to treat it?

Barking is their means of communication and if you listen close enough, you might discover that your dog has different barks for different situations.

A territorial/protective bark would be when your pet feels something or someone has entered their territory (your garden!). This bark is generally excessive and becomes louder as the ‘threat’ gets closer.

An alarm/fear bark occurs when your dog is startled by a noise or object that catches their attention whether inside your yard or outside the fence.

One which most often drives the neighbours mad is the boredom/loneliness bark. Pets left

18 | WH | ISSUE 3 | 2016

alone for long periods of time who become bored, sad and express their unhappiness by barking.

When your dog is there to greet you as you arrive home, they often display a greeting/play bark. A happy bark accompanied by a waging and often some jumping.

As barking is their only means of communication, your dog probably also displays an attention seeking bark – he wants to go outside, play or get a treat.

Separation anxiety in dogs is a real thing and separation anxiety/compulsive barking is another one which annoys those living around you. Dogs who display this barking usually like to hear the sound of their own voice and often make repetitive movements such as running in circles and along the fence. Just as babies feel separation anxiety when they aren’t with their moms, some dogs feel their world has come to an end when they are apart from their owner. Barking is their way of calling their owner back and when their owner returns, they feel rewarded for their barking efforts!

Now you’ve identified your dog’s way of communication but the boredom/loneliness and separation anxiety/compulsive barking styles are a problem as most of the time you aren’t around to try to curb this barking – the reason why they are barking in the first place.

A few tips to remember when you are at home and your dog barks for no reason are: • Shouting at your dog only stimulates them to bark more as they believe you are joining in. Speak calmly and firmly, don’t shout.

• Train your dog to understand the word ‘quiet’. When your dog is barking, say ‘’quiet’’ in a calm, firm voice. Wait until he stops barking and reward him with a treat. Eventually he will understand that if he stops barking when he hears the word ‘’quiet’’, he will get rewarded.

WH | PETS

Tips to try to get your dog to stop barking when alone include: • Try to tire your dog out before you leave.

Take a long walk, play or let him run around in the park to tire him out – a tired dog is a quiet dog.

• Should your neighbour mention that your dog barks when you are out, try to correct the problem rather sooner than later. The longer the dog is left to bark whilst you are out, the more ingrained the habit becomes and it harder to break.

• Perhaps your pet needs a fury friend to keep him company and busy whilst you are out.

• Allowing your dog to stay indoors whilst you are out will lessen the noise impact.

• Leave him with lots of toys to keep him busy and tire him out.

• When you have some time, try leaving the house as you usually would and wait outside for a few seconds before returning. If your dog doesn’t bark during this time, reward them, slowly trying to make him feel that he is rewarded for staying quiet whilst you are gone instead of you being the reward itself returning home because he has ‘’called’’ you back!

It may take some time (slowly build up the amount of time you wait outside before returning) and practice for him to realise this new way of reward but persevere as it will eventually be better.

• If all else fails consult a veterinary behaviourist or an animal behaviourist.

There are some products available which claim to help stop barking but they aren’t always effective and could stress your dog out even more.

If your neighbour does approach you about your dog’s excessive barking try to understand their frustration. Ask them for patience whilst you try to find a way to curb your dog’s behaviour and assure them that you do take their concerns to heart.

Information sourced from: www.petfinder.com and www.pets.webmd.com.

19 | WH | ISSUE 3 | 2016

WH | BIRDING

BIRD watchers paradise

Following our editorial in the first issue of Woodhill Magazine this year on the DIY’s to bird watching, we thought it fitting to go in search of local bird watching spots…

Austin Roberts Bird Sanctuary Situated in Mucleneuk, Pretoria, this bird sanctuary was named after the well-known ornithologist, Austin Roberts (1883 – 1948).

The sanctuary is open for visitors to walk around on their own or you could book a guided walk. Although it’s surrounded by neighbourhoods and busy streets, some interesting birds can be found here such as the Green-backed Heron and Little Bittern.

For a lovely bird watching morning out that’s not too far from home, visit this little piece of paradise in the city.

Faerie Glen Nature Reserve If you are wanting more of a nature reserve experience without driving out to the Pilanesberg or Kruger National Park, then Faerie Glen Nature Reserve should do the trick. This 128ha reserve is a haven within the city with the Moreleta Spruit transecting it and the Bronberg Mountains forming the norther border. Footpaths through the reserve make for a lovely walking trail where birds that can be spotted include the Marsh Warbler, Crimson-breasted Shrike as well as the Cape and Village Weaver. There are numerous birds to be found here so be sure to take your birding list and book along. .

Pretoria National Botanical Gardens With beautiful surroundings and up to 50 species of birds to be seen in a morning’s bird watching, the Botanical Gardens is a

22 | WH | ISSUE 3 | 2016

true oasis in the city. Because the gardens consist of various habitats, some of the special sightings here include the Fairy Flycatcher, Red-throated Wryneck and the Thick-billed Weaver. Take a walk along the trails through the gardens or simply sit on your picnic blanket and wait for the birds to come to you. Either way, you will have a relaxed bird watching experience.

Wonderboom Nature Reserve If you’re wanting to venture a little further without driving too far, then Wonderboom Nature Reserve situated to the north of Pretoria, straddling the Magaliesberg Mountains is the place to go. When exploring this reserve by foot, the bird spotting is very rewarding. As you climb the hill some species spotted could include the Bar-throated Apalis, African Grey Hornbill and White-browed Scrub-robin.

Rietvlei Nature Reserve Right on our doorstep, not only is this reserve great for a day of game viewing, but there are an interesting variety of birds that can be found here too. With the dam and other water bodies within the reserve, it’s a great spot for viewing waterbirds some of which include the African Purple Swamphen, African Darter and Reed Cormorant. The opportunity to spot near to a hundred species in a day’s bird watching is very rewarding and there are a number of excellent bird hides which will make taking a break from driving around the reserve (you cannot walk freely within it) a pleasure.

According to BirdLife South Africa (www.birdlife. org.za), the Northern Gauteng birding area stretches from Centurion to Hammanskraal and east to Bronkhorstspruit. This 6,368 square kilometres is representative of two Biome (savanna towards the north and grassland to the south) and offers more than 400 bird species and bird watching is good all year round.

23 | WH | ISSUE 3 | 2016

WH | GARDENING

THE TREES It’s all about

“The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago, the next best time is now.” – Chinese Proverb Arbor Week takes place in September which is also known as Heritage Month in South Africa.

During this month of awareness, we are all encouraged to take note and care of nature as well as the local environment that surrounds our homes and communities.

Trees and water are both precious resources in South Africa. We need to take care of both.

Here are a few tips on how to wisely maintain your trees in order to enjoy the wide range of benefits that these resources offer at a low cost and with little effort.

Take care of both young and mature trees The roots of younger trees are less established and need easier access to water to establish deep root systems. Water young trees at least twice a week and mature trees once a week. Remember, mature trees require more water when growing near heat traps such as driveways and foundations.

Water loss is greater where trees are exposed to hot afternoon sun and strong or constant wind. The critical time for water is during later winter/early spring when new buds and leaves are forming.

Just the right amount of water will do at just the right time Do not waste water. Water should soak into the ground rather than running off into the drain.

24 | WH | ISSUE 3 | 2016

Water the “drip zone,” that is the area directly beneath the foliage and shaded by the tree.

Also, add mulch to lower soil temperatures and reduce water evaporation. Water the “drip zone,” area directly beneath the foliage and shaded by the tree. During drought that we are still experiencing in South Africa, it is better to water trees directly with a hose rather than with spray irrigators.

the host tree. It is nature’s jungle gym as it makes for a super climbing tree for children.

Take note that the strangler’s root system will make light work of the pool, paving and foundations, however it is a super warrior tree against soil erosion and is an unbelievable tree for wildlife.

Water early in the morning or after the sun has set, as this is when trees replace the water they have lost during the day. Also, less water is lost to evaporation at these times. Mulching your tree will also keep soils warmer in winter and cooler in summer.

Make the right choices Plant ingenious and drought resistant tree species that require less water. Choose trees over lawn, as trees are a long-term investment.

Take time and care to research the type of tree you would like to plant and remember that trees have different root systems and grow to be different sizes – you are not going to fit a baobab in your backyard and you do not want to have to cut it down five years later because you didn’t plan properly. You also do not want to pick a tree that is going to die because it is not frost or drought resistant. Find trees suitable for your area.

The 2016 Tree of the Year is the common wild fig (Ficus thonningii). This tree benefits many farming and pastoral communities in Africa and is also a great source of dry season livestock fodder. It is referred to as the strangler fig because it relies on other trees to take root in early life and inevitable suffocates

Photo credit: JMK (Wikimedia Commons)

Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago. – Warren Buffett

25 | WH | ISSUE 3 | 2016

WH | EVENTS

18TH BIRTHDAY Woodhill’s

Next year Woodhill will celebrate its 18th Birthday – a milestone Birthday for an Estate that has developed so much since its first ground was broken.

In celebration, we would like to include a special feature in our first issue 2017 and invite all residents and homeowners (past and present) to send us any information and/or photos of Woodhill over the past 18 years that they think would be great to share.

Please send this information to either

Sarita at the Clubhouse (marketing@ woodhill.co.za) or to Tracey from Woodhill Magazine (editor@ woodhillmag.co.za). If you would prefer to set up a meeting where Tracey can get all the relevant details from you and compile the information you have on Woodhill, then please contact her to set up a date.

27 | WH | ISSUE 3 | 2016

WH | WCC

LADIES CAPTAIN 2016/17 - Ronel van Deemter Ronel has enjoyed the game of golf for the past 24 years.

She has served on the Gauteng North Ladies golf for four years and served on the amalgamated body, Gauteng North Golf Union (a first in South Africa) as Vice President. Needless to say she is a very keen golfer and has been a member of Woodhill Country Club for 17 years.

Apart from the fact that Ronel loves the company of the Woodhill ladies, she is also very proud to play at the best groomed golf course in Pretoria.

A retired wife, whose husband is a veterinary surgeon and the mother of 5 children (2 of which are in-lawas), Ronel is excited to have more time to spend on her favourite game. ‘’I look forward to a great year ahead as Ladies Captain and thank the Ladies Golf Committee for their ongoing support.”

Thank you

Ronel Ladies Golf Committee 2016/7 • Ronel van Deemter • Laetitia Watson • Maryna Groenewald • Vanessa Ngrini • Rhona Topke • Elfra van Eyk

28 | WH | ISSUE 3 | 2016

WH | WCC

MEN’S CAPTAIN 2016/17 - Wessel van Wyk An avid golfer, Wessel has been a member of Woodhill Country Club for 13 years. Having moved into the Estate just over a year ago with his family, wife, Natasha Van Wyk and their 10 month old, Alexander Van Wyk, Wessel is excited to become more involved as his takes on the role of both Men’s Captain and Club Captain 2016/17.

“It is with pride and excitement that I look forward to meeting as many of you as possible, either on the course or in the clubhouse to do what golfers like to do best, chatting away discussing the bad, not so good and great shots. If you have anything at all that you need to know about our golf club I will be

only too glad to either answer your questions or point you in the right direction to someone who will be as willing as I am to help you.

I have been a member of Woodhill Country Club for 13 years having had previous memberships at both Pretoria Country Club and Centurion Golf Estate I have been playing golf from the age of 15 years and played provisionally in school. I also Captained the First Team for Afrikaans Hoer Seunskool in Matric.”

As we look forward to summer fast approaching, Wessel believes that our well manicured course, thanks to our Green Keeper, Frikkie Potgieter and his ground staff, is what makes Woodhill stand out from all the rest. Their hard work ensures that we are one of the top courses in Gauteng and he feels privileged to be a part of this wonderful team.

Wessel’s vision as Men’s and Club Captain this year is to embark on a membership drive

to expand the membership of the club by re-introducing the Club Captain’s family day event and revamping the ladies as well as juniors section of the club.

“I look forward to the resident’s and member’s support of the club - both in the golf aspect (by playing for fun as well as playing in competitions), and also in the clubhouse (i.e. the restaurant, bar and theme nights).”

Thank you

Wessel Golf Advisory Committee 2016/17 • Wessel van Wyk • Ronel van Deemter • Ivan Paiva • Hugo Rust • Laetitia Watson

Wessel van Wyk and his lovely wife, Natasha Jane Van Wyk.

29 | WH | ISSUE 3 | 2016

WH | CHARITY

WOODHILL CHARITY Fundraising Beneficiaries 2016 First we would like to explain the process of accepting a charity as a beneficiary. Charities from previous years, charities that hold their golf days at Woodhill and any other nominations we received were invited to submit a proposal for assistance. Seventeen (17) requests were sent out and we received twelve (12) motivations. Doing this made me realise that the need is so great out there and this fundraiser can make a big difference in the lives of others. Many of these charities supply people with the most basic needs of food, toiletries and medicine. In the light of the above I suggest that this year we concentrate on making sure our charities most basic needs are met. The amount each charity will receive will be determined once we know how much money was raised and on approval of the GAC (Golf Advisory Committee). Meet the charities (A short synopsis in no particular order).

Ons Huis

Assisting mentally handicapped children to live and work as normally as possible within the community. A project established by the Elarduspark Dutch Reformed Church’s Presbytery. Assisting mentally handicapped children to live and work as normally as possible within the community. This year our center is 22 years old and Ons Huis provides accommodation to 15 mentally handicapped persons and during the day we also have the activity centre for 24 mentally challenged persons.

Uncle Ben's Den

Number 887 Botha Street in Hermanstad appears to be just another house in the west of Pretoria. But walk down a cement driveway and it becomes obvious that this is more like a small village. This is Uncle Ben’s

30 | WH | ISSUE 3 | 2016

Den, it can be described as a white squatter camp that was created by Sharon de Lange and her family to give shelter and to take care of the elderly and the jobless, together with their families, their earthly possessions and even their minds. Some residents have been discharged from the nearby Weskoppies psychiatric hospital, but struggle to regrow their roots in a society that remains overwhelmingly intolerant of the mentally ill.

Wespoort Uitreik Sentrum

The Wespoort Feeding and Outreach Program is helping 60 families in the Danville community who are living in abject poverty. These families are almost all without work or receive a monthly stipend from the State of R1120. They have to pay for accommodation, food and clothes from this money, which is not do-able! The project endeavours to provide each family with a food parcel every week, so that we at least alleviate some of their needs. We do not receive any subsidy from the State, and all the money needed to provide food has to be raised by the project.

We also have a pre-school playgroup for 36 underprivileged toddlers as part of the Feeding project. The parents of these toddlers all need financial help and the children are provided with a cooked meal every day, as well as clothes. They are also stimulated here to prepare them for school.

Tshwane Haven

Tshwane Haven was started 9 years ago when it was noticed that TPoSA was turning away a large number of children with medical problems. These children could be helped to lead a quality of life, even if for a short amount of time. Karen Bruyere, who had been looking after babies and toddlers affected by a medical condition since 1999, volunteered her services to run Tshwane Haven. Tshwane Haven opened

its doors on 30 May 2006. They have taken care of 347 children since the year 2000. The Haven can take in a maximum of 16 children, 5 foster children and 11 babies and toddlers.

The type of children that are accommodated are severely malnourished children, HIV+ with other problems, TB with other problems, down syndrome, abused and premature babies as well as children with heart and lung problems.

All the children admitted into the Haven are given the best medical care affordable.

Reach for a dream

Reach for a Dream fulfils the dreams of children between the ages of 3 and 18 who have been diagnosed as having a life-threatening illness by a medical practitioner. We do not discriminate based on race, culture, financial status or any other factor. Each child living with a life-threatening illness is given a chance to dream. We encourage children to use their dreams to fight their life-threatening illnesses.

We try to alleviate some of this strain (which often affects the whole family), by creating a different environment for the child – one that is not focused on her/ his illness. We would like our children to find their laughter again and therein find the strength to live beyond their illnesses.

You can help change a child’s life by creating a memory which will stay with them forever.

Kruis Kulturele Bediening (Kruik)

Kruik was started 7 years ago with the aim to work cross cultural to help with spiritual and social upliftment of communities. We started by focusing on farmers and helping them to reach their surrounding communities. In this process Kruik was part of forming an agri community where farmers farm together to produce profit to uplift the community. Kruik works in partnership in the Kingdom of God to establish community projects that can also be implemented in other farming areas. At this stage we are already helping farmers in other areas with different projects.

Sunrise Naskool Sentrum

The SunRise After-School Care & Learner Support Facility situated at the Wapadrant Church in SunRise Road is currently open to needy children of all races in any primary school in the local community. We are currently supporting 18 children at the facility.

We strive to show compassion and love towards our less fortunate neighbours and thus bring harmony to our community. We provide these children, aged 5 to 12 years,

WH | CHARITY with a balanced meal. We also provide a wholesome playing area for their enjoyment to develop social skills and build self- esteem through small group involvement.

Door of Hope

We are almost always full with 66 babies that we care for at any one time in our 3 Baby Houses. Door of Hope strives to: 1) Save Abandoned Babies via our “baby bins” and other network relationships. 2) Bring Children Home and provide a safe and loving family environment. 3) Build People of Character meeting their physical, mental, emotional and spiritual needs. 4) Bridge a New and Better World with competent, confident and courageous graduates.

Oeboentoe

Since 1994 Oeboentoe has offered a safe, loving shelter for neglected and traumatized children between the ages of 0 and 16. The house parents Cawood and Erica Kelbrick, and their four children, form the framework around which several welfare organizations and the Child Protection Units of the SAPS place

children out for unspecified periods of time.

Oeboentoe is situated in Rietfontein Pretoria.

Cresset House

Cresset House is a Residential and Work facility for adults with intellectual disabilities.

Our vision is to facilitate the highest possible degree of fulfilment achievable, on a financially sustainable basis, for every resident with intellectual disability – both as an individual and as a member of the community. 1) Provide care based on the extended family concept.

2) Ensure a stable, hygienic and stimulating environment. 3) Provide meaningful work resulting in a sense of dignity and self-worth.

Hanna Charity

Hanna Charity and Empowerment Foundation were in 2008. We believe in the potential of people living in poverty. Our Foundation’s mission is to take hands with the poor and marginalized people of South Africa. We provide personal attention and direct benefits to children youth, aging and their families so they may live with dignity, achieve their desired potential and participate fully in society. We support communities with all the basic services such as playgroups, soup kitchens, skills development, job creation, clothing banks, social and psychological support, libraries etc.

We also provide a place of safety to several children (from these communities) that have been placed under foster care. Relationships of mutual respect require acceptance of the equality of all persons.

Woodhill Caddies Development Fund We are firm believers that charity starts at

home. Woodhill has 35 permanent caddies.

On average each caddy carries a bag three (3) times per week. At a fee of R140 plus R40 half way (for food), we realise that with transport and families to support this is a financial struggle. On 1 October 2016, Woodhill will form a Caddie Foundation to build up funds to assist the caddies. This development fund will be administered by the GAC to provide education and training to uplift our caddies and we want to kick start this fund with a donation from the money raised in our Charity Drive.

31 | WH | ISSUE 3 | 2016

WH | EVENTS

U35 Challenge

Our U35 members recently enjoyed their own golf challenge hosted by Woodhill Country Club on our beautiful course. This was part of the recent launch of our New Membership category (U35s). It was a great to see so many of them getting to know each other a bit better, enjoying the game of golf and forming new friendships. We hope that this section of our Club will grow as more and more younger players are learning to love the game‌

32 | WH | ISSUE 3 | 2016

WH | EVENTS

33 | WH | ISSUE 3 | 2016

WH | EVENTS

Annual Woodhill

CORPORATE CHALLENGE Each year Woodhill proudly hosts a Corporate Challenge for our most valued corporate members. Not only is this an opportunity to say ‘thank you’ for choosing Woodhill as their preferred golf course for their clients, but it’s also a chance to meet and network with the other corporate members.

This year we partnered with FNB and hosted a Woodhill/FNB Corporate Members Challenge.

A field of 68 players participated on Monday, 17 October 2016 - what a way to spend Bosses Day, on the golf course followed by a prize giving braai.

The winners of the 2016 Woodhill Corporate Challenge were Telkom Strategic represented

by Zach Joubert and Andrew Heuvel.

Winners of the FNB Corporate Challenge were E Mahomed and F Aboo.

• • •

1st place 2nd place 3rd place

P Aucamp and A Eloff C Bouwer and B Miny S Govender and R Kramer

Nearest to Pin winners: • # 2: P Aucamp • # 12: J van Wyk • # 7: H le Roux • # 16: A Springate

34 | WH | ISSUE 3 | 2016

WH | EVENTS

35 | WH | ISSUE 3 | 2016

36 | WH | ISSUE 3 | 2016

37 | WH | ISSUE 3 | 2016

WH | ADVERTORIAL

Woodhill welcomes

CORICRAFT to our Clubhouse

You might notice the new furniture in our Clubhouse thanks to our recent partnership with Coricraft. Comfy chairs and sofas adorn our communal areas and we look forward to showcasing Coricraft’s on trend lines as the seasons change.

For more than 20 years Coricraft, SA’s mostloved value retailer, has had a reputation for delivering living, dining and bedroom furniture of outstanding style and quality, as well as unmatched value.

Coricraft offers a complete collection of locally manufactured and internationally sourced home furnishings so you can pull together signature décor looks in your own home.

Coricraft’s renowned collection of slipcover, fully upholstered and 100% genuine leather couches are all manufactured locally in South Africa, which means that they are brought directly to you at unbeatable prices. Any

38 | WH | ISSUE 3 | 2016

couch in any Coricraft store can be made up with your choice of fabric or genuine leather, and the Coricraft fabric and leather wall in store, makes it easy for you to get exactly what you want in terms of design, fabric and colour.

Added to this is an array of stylish handpicked furniture, manufactured locally and sourced from around the world, for the living and dining room that you have always dreamt of. Whether you’re looking for armchairs, coffee tables, occasional chairs or plasma units or dining tables, chairs or servers, at Coricraft you can now furnish your home elegantly, effortlessly and affordably.

Coricraft also offers a stylish collection of bedroom products that include beds, pedestals and even upholstered headboards in the fabric of your choice. You can also add a touch of colour and interest with a collection of décor accessories - think mirrors,

candelabras, rugs, vases, lamps, wall art, scatters and other interesting small pieces.

The Coricraft store in the Parkview shopping centre offers customers quality living, dining and bedroom solutions at unbeatable prices, and the new Albert and Hepburn Collections maintains the quality, value and variety that go hand-in-hand with the Coricraft brand.

These ranges have been introduced to offer homes a more traditional styled product and the elegant, dark wood of the Hepburn and Albert collections extends into the living and dining room for a timeless look that will never go out of date.

To view the new Coricraft collections residents can pop into the Woodhill Clubhouse.

WH | ADVERTORIAL

39 | WH | ISSUE 3 | 2016

WH | TENNIS

LADIES PRO SET TENNIS TOURNAMENT 12 October 2016

We recently hosted our ladies Pro Set Tennis Tournament where 8 ladies took part, each playing 7 matches. Loads of fun was had by all the results were as follows: 1. Sonja Schoombie RSA 2. Mari Marais RSA

42 | WH | ISSUE 3 | 2016

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Lia Neculicioiu ROM Linda Malan RSA Clara Belli USA Mart-Marie Weideman RSA Karin Naslun SWEDEN Kate Dooley USA

TENNIS

WH | TENNIS

@ Woodhill

Our Tennis membership at Woodhill has grown considerably over the past few months. Lots of people are taking part in our Cardio tennis and coaching which means our tennis courts are being well used.

We recently hosted two Cardio tennis mornings after which we all enjoyed a lovely glass of champagne and orange juice.

I also recently attended the ITF (International Tennis Federation) African Coaches Conference at Sun City where we listened to top coaches such as Migueal Crespo, Rob Koenig, Riaan Kruger, Philip Born and Andre de Beer speak. This made this course one of the best to attend this year.

Wilson have also rewarded me as a professional referee as part of their Wilson Official Advisory Staff.

I am very excited about the growth of tennis @ Woodhill.

Celeste Riddick 43 | WH | ISSUE 3 | 2016

WH | EVENTS

HERITAGE DAY Doggie Walk @ Woodhill

On 24 September 2016, our fury friends (and their owners) got their exercise done for the day when Realnet Moreleta sponsored our Heritage Day Doggie Walk. Owners were spoilt with a refreshing drink to start their morning whilst tired pooches cooled off in buckets of water. If you love taking your dogs for a stroll around our beautiful Estate, then be sure to join our next Doggie Walk where both you and your pet could meet new faces and make new friends.

44 | WH | ISSUE 3 | 2016

WH | EVENTS

WH | GENERAL

HALLOWEEN COSTUME ideas for kids

Most kids love Halloween because of the treats but there are a few who find it quite scary. It doesn’t always have to be about blood, guts and gore so we went in search of some kid friendly Halloween costumes – easy DIY ones – that your kids will love dressing up in…

How to: make a yellow duckling What you need • Yellow sweatshirt and sweatpants • Yellow baseball cap • Orange rain boots • Yellow feather boa • Ping Pong ball (1) • Black marker • Scissors • Glue 1. Snip feathers from the boa. Glue bunches to the sleeves of the shirt and to the chest area.

How to: make the hat 1. Cut ping pong ball in half and color with black sharpie. Glue to the sides of the baseball cap.

2. Glue a few of those feathers to the baseball cap.

• • •

Headband Ribbon Red paper stock

Intructions 1. Cut felt hearts out and glue them to shirt and tutu with fabric glue.

2. Make wings out of wire hangers and tights: Shape hangers into a wing shape and then stretch tights over the hanger.

Glue felt hearts to these wings.

3. Cut hearts out of glittered or plain red paper. Glue hearts to pipe cleaners and wrap the pipe cleaner around the headband.

How to: make a mermaid

How to: make a love bug

What you need • Crepe paper streamers • Glue gun • Cupcake liners (in assorted colors and sizes) • Headband • Teal ribbon (about two yards) • Starfish • Gold cord

What you need • Red, pink, and black felt • Scissors • Fabric glue • Pipe cleaners • Tutu • Tights • Wire hanger

1. Glue lengths of crepe paper streamers in alternating colors around the waistline of a child’s dress or skirt.

2. Fold cupcake liners in half.

3. Working from bottom to top, glue to the bodice of a dress or shirt. Layer the liners length-wise, alternating colors.

4. Fold cupcake liners in half and layer them

48 | WH | ISSUE 3 | 2016

length wise along the bottoms of leggings, layering lengthwise and alternating colors.

(You’ll need about two rows.)

How to: make a tiara 1. Fold cupcake liners in half and glue the largest cupcake liner in the middle of the tiara and the smaller liners on either side.

Hot glue starfish to each of the liners.

2. For the necklace, hot glue a starfish to a length of golden cord.

How to: make a shark What you need • Grey hooded sweatshirt and pants • White felt • Black buttons • Grey felt • Hot glue gun • Scissors • Round cardboard cake base • Red felt 1. Cut and glue white felt to the front of the grey hoodie.

2. Using the white felt, cut a zigzag pattern for the teeth. Attach with glue around the inside edge of the hood.

How to: make a fin 1. Cut round cardboard cake base into shark fin shape.

2. Cover the cardboard with grey felt.

3. Attach with glue to the back of the grey hoodie.

WH | GENERAL

Source: www.realsimple.com/holidays-entertaining/holidays/halloween/kids-halloween-costumes

49 | WH | ISSUE 3 | 2016

WH | GENERAL

Tel: 012 991 6912 • Boardwalk Office Park, C/o Haymeadow & Solomon Mahlangu, Faerie Glen

WH | PARENTING

Going through the

EMOTIONS I recently attended a life skills course where the lecturer there told us that the only part of a child’s brain that is fully developed by the age of five years old is their emotional part. How we react to situations and how we feel about certain things later in life are all a part of what we learn in those first five years. That’s not to say that if the food cart comes around to your offices and you miss it because you were in a meeting, that you are going to throw a tantrum and sulk behind your desk for the rest of the day, but your reaction will reflect on how you handled ‘losing out’ in your toddler years.

Emotions are part of what make us human.

Learning how to deal with emotions is one of the most important lessons in life. We, as parents, need to make sure that apart from teaching our kids basic life lessons, we also nurture, support and encourage their emotional development. By doing this we can help our kids cope with emotions leading them to doing better in school, forming stronger relationships, having fewer behavioural problems and generally leading happier, healthier lives.

Tune in to your child’s emotions Insights as to how your child is feeling usually come naturally to a parent but the emotions lying behind the feelings are sometimes less obvious and overlooked. Like adults, children can experience several emotions at the same time. Tuning in to your child’s emotions may take a little work – look at their body language, listen to their tone of voice and look for clues in their facial expressions. Try to identify emotions that are harder to recognise like embarrassment, fear, disappointment, hurt or worry.

Becoming aware of your child’s emotions gives you the chance to connect with them on an emotional level and guide them to healthy emotional development. Listen closely to your child and try to view the world from their perspective. Focus on both the positive and negative emotions that your child is feeling.

Once you have established the emotions that your child is feeling, help them build a vocabulary for expressing their different

52 | WH | ISSUE 3 | 2016

feelings and help them discover where these feelings come from.

Also remember that your child is learning about emotions by watching how you handle yours.

only comfort your child but also help improve their ability to soothe themselves during times of trouble. Instead of telling your child how you think they should be feeling in any emotional situation, rather listen to what emotion they are feeling and if they can’t express the emotion outright, then try to identify it with them.

Recognise your child’s emotions A tantrum in a shop as a result of a child not getting what they want is not the easiest situation for a parent to deal with but try to see these emotional outbursts as opportunities to bond and teach your child as opposed to seeing it as another problem that needs solving. The response a child receives to any situation, whether it be a positive or negative situation, will have a dramatic effect on the way that they learn to deal with their feelings.

Listening also includes using other signs to identify what your child is feeling. Look at their facial expressions, their body language, the words they speak and the tone in which those words are said. Remember that no matter how big or small a situation may seem to you, your child might view it as a major event in their lives. Try to understand this and see the situation as they see it as this will give you a greater understanding of what the emotions are that they are feeling.

Emotions are not something that should be ignored or dismissed as they are a normal part of every human being. Emotional situations such as a pet that dies, give parents the opportunity to bond with their child by offering them comfort and support while at the same time, the opportunity to teach them how to deal with similar situations later in life.

Pay attention to what your child is telling you and let them know that you are taking their emotions seriously.

Recognising and identifying smaller emotional situations before they become intense can also offer parents the opportunity to diffuse issues when they are small and teach their child problem-solving strategies.

Show patience, interest and let the child know that you share their feelings, then work together to find a solution. Take the time to recognise the emotion, whether it be obvious or underlying, listen to your child, let them know that you understand and teach them how to deal with their emotions. In this way you are letting your child know that they are acceptable to you, that they are not alone, that you understand their feelings and their feelings make sense. Let your child think of their own solutions to the situation and then help them refine these solutions.

Listen with empathy Listen to your child with empathy and validate their feelings. Let them know that you understand the emotion that they are feeling. This will not

Label the emotion Teach your child to name their emotion.

This helps them make sense of what they are feeling as well as calms them down and helps them recover quicker. Make sure you are aware of what your child is feeling by tuning in, recognising and listening with empathy so that you are sure that the label that you are giving to what they are feeling, is the best way to describe these feelings.

One way to teach your child about labelling emotions is to show them puppets with various facial expressions indicating various emotions such as happy, sad, angry or disappointed.

Crossing the line Sometimes your child will act out their emotions in an unacceptable manner where boundaries are crossed such as smacking their sibling because they are angry or biting their friend out of frustration.

Limits need to be set in terms of acting out emotions and your child needs to be taught and understand these limits.

Remember that in situations such as these

WH | PARENTING

it’s not the child’s feelings that are the problem, it’s their behaviour and parents need to acknowledge their child’s feelings but reprimand them for their unacceptable behaviour.

We need to teach our children how to control the way they act on their feelings.

Childhood emotions and emotional growth are a vital part of parenting.

We all want our kids to grow up with security and stability and helping them develop emotionally can ensure these things. Practice identifying your child’s underlying emotions by listening and taking note of what their feelings are. You will find that as you bond emotionally with your child, so your relationship will grow into one of openness and honesty – which is ideally what every parent wants.

53 | WH | ISSUE 3 | 2016

WH | TRAVEL

WHERE TO NEXT?

So many places, so little time… planning your holiday needn’t be a nightmare.

Okay, so you’ve decided that it’s time for a break away from the old routine. Where to start? Try to think about what your family would imagine as a great holiday – do your kids enjoy cultural activities, does your husband enjoy the beach, or do you just picture yourself reading in a hammock in the middle of the bush with no worries? Consider the following: • Babies don’t like their routine disturbed, so long flights or car trips can be quite unsettling and they may take a few days to get back into their routines once you have reached your destination.

• Toddlers will more than likely want to run wild – whether it’s on the beach or in a restaurant.

• Kids from 5 years and up tend to require a lot of entertaining – so choosing a place where activities for smaller kids abound would be a good idea (we love hotels with an entertainment crew!).

Make a shortlist of possible destinations with your family – limit this to three or four places. Then do some research about each resort/destination and what it has to offer – would there be something on offer for each family member?

Sun, sea and sand Beach holidays are probably foremost on most families list (especially for those of us from Gangsters Paradise – otherwise known as Gauteng!). We often holiday at a small town (with what seems like half of Gauteng) in the Eastern Cape – the kind of place that requires no vehicle as the town is so busy in season that there’s no parking available!

For those of us with small kids and on a budget, the beach is generally the best option.

It’s really good value for money and the fresh air, holiday vibe and loads of entertainment in terms of sand castle building and body surfing are great. (Hey, nothing beats a good wave dunking!) Small kids really enjoy seaside

54 | WH | ISSUE 3 | 2016

holidays aside from the occasional mouthful of sand – and you’ll be surprised at how your own inner child is awakened! (Now it’s dad’s chance of having a valid reason for building a sand castle again!)

You’ll find that you are all able to relax and your kids will sleep better as a result of all the fresh air (hallelujah!) – you can return home feeling revived. Long walks on the beach keep the whole family entertained searching for shells and chasing crabs – just don’t go too far as those little legs get tired and you may end up carrying baby home…

Rock pools, fishing, swimming, riding – take the bikes along so that you can go for a ride in the mornings… a seaside holiday is endless fun.

Overseas Travelling overseas with small kids a brave choice – and not an option for the fainthearted. Never mind the long flight, foreign country, language and culture – these holidays generally involve a lot of sightseeing and small kids don’t always share your enthusiasm (which is fair enough)!

You also have to ask yourself whether or not the cost is warranted if your kids are too small to remember the experience. Sure, if you are going to visit family or friends it’s a different story, but if you and your partner are keen explorers and are dying to experience new places non-stop, you may be letting yourself in for some temper tantrums from your brood!

That’s certainly not to say that you shouldn’t take them with. Holidays where the kids also get to enjoy excursions are a possibility – if you took them to Disneyland when visiting the U.S., I’m sure they wouldn’t complain!

If you are on a touring-type holiday, try to arrange to stop over at each place for at least three or four days so that the kids can have

time to adjust and get comfortable before moving on. Unsettled kids on holiday can be a nightmare.

If you do decide on an overseas holiday, remember to get all the paperwork done well in advance – your kids need their own passports and possibly visas too – plan your trip to the very last detail… these types of holidays can be hectic even with the best made plans.

Mountains and the countryside There are many beautiful mountain ranges and countryside retreats in South Africa that cater for anyone’s budget and any age.

Fresh mountain air, lush green fields and farmyard friends – mountain and farm holidays offer various activities from hiking, horseback riding to mountain biking and freshwater fishing. With all the equipment easily available for hire nowadays, these activities are easily available for kids too.

Try to find a place where there is loads of opportunity for you to do things as a family, but also where there is entertainment for the kids, so that you can also have a little time to relax.

One can never get enough of the great outdoors…

Heading for the snow Isn’t snow every South African’s dream?

Although we love our weather and most of us wouldn’t change it for the world, snow just seems like the ultimate fairy tale. We go to great lengths to create it – fake snow that is – but I think just about every child in the world dreams of a white Christmas.

Of course you could celebrate Christmas in July and head for the Drakensberg to catch a few snowflakes, although these adventures are normally ‘spur of the moment’ holidays – we

Other issues you may want to bear in mind when arranging your holiday include the following: •

•

can never be guaranteed of snow, after all.

Or, you could go the whole hog and plan a skiing holiday in the fairytale Alps. (Budget permitting of course. Sigh.)

Kids can learn the basics about skiing from about 4 years, so if you are taking little ones along, make sure the resort you choose has child care facilities. Most will offer child care for the over 4 year olds, as well as a few basic lessons here and there.

Remember to take plenty of pics – snow is definitely not something us South Africans see every day!

And then, of course, there are the ultimate African bush safaris. As I’m sure most parents do, we love taking our kids for weekends to the game reserve. In fact, we only live about 150kms from the Pilanesberg and we have often gone up there for just the day. The kids love looking

for the wild animals and when we do spot them, they are fascinated for hours on end.

Someone once told me that you should always plan your next holiday whilst on holiday… then you always have something to look forward to. Whether it’s a trip to the beach, the bush, overseas, a weekend in the mountains or a skiing holiday in the Alps, it’s important to consider your kid’s ages. But just because you have small kids needn’t mean you do without – holidays are a must; a time for you to ‘touch base’ with your loved ones, recoup and revitalize in time for the challenges of a new year ahead. So you just need to find the right holiday that will suit your family best.

Yes, holidays are a wonderful time for the whole family so do yourself a favour… and enjoy them. Happy holidays!

•

•

•

•

Most parents find self-catering accommodation easier. The selfcatering option allows you to feed your kids what they are used to eating as well as sticking to your usual mealtimes.

A swimming pool is great if you are going to a really hot climate. Parents will often enjoy cooling off with their kids in the pool and kids will love the quality time spent there with them.

Consider the proximity of shops in relation to your accommodation. If you know that they are not ‘just around the corner’, some extra planning may be needed in order to ensure that you have enough supplies for your trip.

Also make sure you know where the nearest doctor and chemist are in case of a medical emergency. (Kids love getting sick on holiday!)

If you go the self-catering route, make sure the place has a dishwasher (not negotiable) and enquire about a cleaning service. Parents also want to enjoy their holiday and just having these services will make things easier.

(Why go on holiday if it’s more relaxing staying at home with all the amenities!)

Although TV and DVDs should be the last option when on holiday, they do come in handy should you have a day or two of bad weather.

55 | WH | ISSUE 3 | 2016

WH | KIDS

What is

YOUNG ENGINEERS all about?

For those of you who pop into the clubhouse during the school holidays and attend some of our Monthly Lucky Draws, you may have noticed the kids enjoying the Young Engineers program.

Young Engineers is an education program rationally adopting an edutainment (the combination of education and entertainment) approach. They have developed a variety of different programs that can be used to teach the most important subjects - children joining their educational community happily learn the likes of arithmetic, physics, and mechanical and software engineering.

programs and success at school as well as the development of an arc of skills.

Young Engineers education programs are recognized worldwide. In 2011, Young Engineers was awarded the title of ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’ by Youth Business International (YBI), a network of international not-for-profit organisations which is overseen by HRH Prince Charles, who is the organisation’s president. The award took note of the positive effect that the company’s work

has achieved, and is still achieving, as well as for business performance and worldwide financial potential.

Contact the Woodhill Clubhouse or Young Engineers themselves to enquire about the next Young Engineers program should you wish to enroll your child in their effective courses.

Young Engineers: 087 550 0504 or email, infoptaeast@youngengineers.co.za.

Special programs and workshops have been developed to suit children at both ends of the learning spectrum, from gifted children to those with learning disabilities.

Unlike traditional teaching methods, the use of stories, experiments and demonstrations ensures that all children joining the education programs will learn while they have fun. In fact, they’ll have so much fun they may not even realise they’re learning!

Programs and workshops are completely unique, using LEGO® brick kits specially designed for the Young Engineers community and lesson plans that are continually updated to ensure effectiveness. These education programs are as fun and exciting as they are educational, providing the right mix of edutainment, something Young Engineers is proud to provide.

Statistical tests show a clear connection between participation in Young Engineers

One of our Woodhill kiddies enjoying taking a look at the Young Engineers program at a recent Monthly Lucky Draw.

57 | WH | ISSUE 3 | 2016

WH | GENERAL

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

By Debbie Preston

I’m an ‘Additives-holic’. Born with a substantial list of allergies, mealtimes were always a struggle. How much of a gourmet chef can you be when your ingredients are limited to poached salmon, green beans and brown rice? I was the one with a lunchbox at birthday parties whilst my peers gorged themselves on cupcakes and fizzy pop. Needless to say, when I hit 16 and started earning my own cash I went on overdrive. I became a serious sweet abuser, cramming in as many rainbowcoloured treats as possible. Sadly eczema, headaches and mood swings inevitably followed the high I experienced with each binge, but I was hooked on ‘E’s.

Sensitive or not, long-term continued consumption may lead to neurological problems such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. In the 1970’s it was banned in baby foods – which speaks volumes about how bad it is for tiny tots. In addition to the very attractive swelling, rashes and headaches, symptoms of a sensitivity to MSG can include numbness in the face and neck, nausea, diarrhoea and vomiting. Delicious. Sadly, MSG is adored by food companies, as it not only allows them to cheaply replicate flavours, it disables appetite regulation making you eat more and more which is probably why we fight an ongoing battle with obesity in society today.

E-numbers code the different types of colourants, flavourants and preservatives added to our food. Whilst some are harmless enough, other harbour very real health dangers and are present in a staggering number of food products. This article highlights four key additives to look out for as they’ve been selected for the severity of reactions they cause in sensitive people and the long-term risks of eating them regularly.

Aspartame (E951) is another Excitotoxin to avoid. This sweetener is commonly found in diet cold drinks and the sugar-free sweeteners we add to our coffee when we’re ‘losing weight’. It could also be responsible for helping us lose our minds too, as it shares the same potential nervous system risks whilst aggravating Asthma and ADHD symptoms in sufferers. Neither healthy nor allergic people need Aspartame in their diet, the only exception to the rule being Diabetics who may be medically advised to substitute sugar with Aspartame.

So let’s start with one of my particular favourites: Monosodium Glutamate (MSG – E621) that is a flavour enhancer. Created in a lab back in the early 1900’s, it makes beef taste more beefy, cheese more cheesy and it put me in hospital. One bite of my very beefy burger and my face blew up like a tomato, I had a skull-crushing headache, dizziness and lips that would make Angelina Jolie jealous! Ok, I can’t complain about the last side effect but three painful injections and 10 days worth of antibiotics later, I resolved that even sparerib-flavoured chips weren’t worth it. Incredibly MSG is all over our supermarket shelves; soups, stock, chips, fast and frozen meals, you even sprinkle it on your takeaway fries, so it’s a shame to learn that it’s categorized as an Excitotoxin – a chemical that literally excites your nerve cells to death.

58 | WH | ISSUE 3 | 2016

ADHD sufferers and asthmatics need to be extra careful with preservatives too. Sodium Benzoate and Sodium Dioxide preserve dried fruits, processed foods, fruit juices and fizzy cold drinks to name a few, and irritate these conditions. In the case of Sodium Benzoate, continued studies have discovered that when combined with Vitamin C it converts to benzene, a carcinogenic – something to watch out for in juices, jellies and jams.

As awareness increases, come cold drink companies are considering removing this from their products – which brings me to the next category that has seen bans imposed throughout the world.

Artificial colorants: not only found on the sweet shelves in supermarkets, these multi-coloured treats bring with them a rainbow of sideeffects including hyperactivity, mood swings, skin rashes and headaches. Even a nonallergic child is at risk of experiencing a loss in concentration over time. Their aggravation of ADHD is such that counties like Japan, Sweden, Austria and France have banned some of them; Brilliant Blue (E133), Quinoline Yellow (E104), Allura Red (E129) to name a few. In fact, on the E-scale, I used to have the rules that anything between E100 and E160 was a no-go, even if I really wanted it.

Happily, not all companies choose to use such restrictive additives – Ina Paarmans stocks are MSG free, Woolies do a great range of naturally coloured and flavoured sweets and Lays red onion and balsamic vinegar chips are deliciously all natural.

Try not to trust packets that have ‘No Tartrazine or MSG’ on the label. As we become more aware of these additives, food companies are cleverly disguising them. For example Tartrazine (E102) is often replaced with Quinoline Yellow (E104). Both are yellow dyes, both cause hyperactivity, both are banned in some countries – cheeky hey?

Whilst avoidance is the key, one will be exposed to these additives from time-to-time.

Unless sensitivity has already been identified, it’s recommended you allow a small portion of these additives every once in a while so that the body recognises them in future.

It’s impossible to avoid every single potentially harmful additive out there. Check out our additives table to become more aware of what’s in your favourite foods…

Nutritional advice provided by Heste Theron of Nutri Hub.

WH | GENERAL

Additives E621: MSG Flavour Enhancer and E622: Monopotassium glutamate • Chips, frozen and fast food, soups, stock.

Also look out for hydrolysed vegetable protein, plant protein extract, sodium caseinate, autolysed yeast, hydrolysed oat flour.

E102: Tartrazine • Soups, custard powder, mustard, marmalade, squash, fizzy drinks.

E104: Quinoline Yellow • Found in smoked haddock, ice cream – often replaces Tartrazine.

E110: Sunset Yellow • Squash, jelly, soups, tinned fish, sauces.

E122: Carmoisine • Jelly, jam, sweets, yoghurts, packet soup.

E124: Cochineal Red • Jellies, soups, salami, sweets.

E129: Allura Red • Sweets and drinks.

E133: Brilliant Blue • Sweets and drinks.

E951: Aspartame • Diet ‘sweetened’ products.

E211: Sodium Benzoate • Margarine, soft drinks, salad dressing, soy sauce, sweets.

E220: Sulphur Dioxide • Dried fruit, soft drinks, salad dressing, soy sauce, sweets.

59 | WH | ISSUE 3 | 2016

WH | GENERAL

CRAFTY COUNTDOWN to Christmas

One of the most exciting parts of Christmas is the Advent calendar countdown. We’ve found three simple ideas that you could make with your kids to get all of you in the Christmas spirit…

Envelope calendar Materials • Red envelopes in various sizes • Number stickers • Double sided tape Directions 1. Use the number stickers to mark each envelope with the date for the countdown.

Form the shape of Christmas tree using double sided tape to stick the envelopes to the wall. Fill each envelope with lightweight presents such as a gift card or stickers.

2. Take and adapted from: http://www. marthastewart.com/949678/easyadvent calendar.

Matchbox countdown In this version, each of the days to Christmas are a little matchbox drawer opening up to reveal a hidden sweet or tiny gift in the drawers.

Materials • 25 matchboxes • A long strip lightweight board • Scraps of foam core • Craft knife • Acrylic paint • Heavy white craft glue • Number stickers for dates Directions 1. Start with the 25 matchboxes and the lightweight board.

2. Take all the little drawers out of the

60 | WH | ISSUE 3 | 2016

WH | GENERAL matchboxes. Otherwise, they might 3. accidentally get glued in place.

4. Using a thick craft glue, glue the matchbox cases to the board. You can 5. clamp the little cases to the board with pegs until dry. Clean up any glue that oozes out from under the boxes as this may keep the boxes from sliding in and out smoothly.

6. You could chose to add a special accent to the top using foam core. Here a star was traced and cut out of foam core.

7. Now, paint with the color of your choice.

Don’t paint the inside of the matchbox cases as the paint can build up and make it difficult to slide the drawers in and out.

8. Stick your numbers onto the boxes to reflect the countdown to Christmas Day. 9. Place all the drawers back into the boxes and fill with sweets, a note or tiny gift for each day. Taken and adapted from: http:// eyesaflame.blogspot.co.za/2009/11/ demo-matchbox-advent-calendar.html

Santa’s beard Christmas countdown This is a great option for those who would enjoy the countdown but don’t feel it necessary to add a sweet or gift for each day.

Materials • Lined paper • Number stamp with ink • Red and white cardboard with crayons Directions 1. Cut the shape of Santa’s beard out of the lined paper and use the number stamp to mark each day of the countdown (starting with the 1 at the bottom of the beard).

Make Santa’s face and hat with the red and white cardboard, colour him in and stick to the top of the beard. As each day of the countdown passes, cut off the day from his beard until only his face is left on Christmas day.

Taken and adapted from: http:// laclassedellamaestravalentina.blogspot. co.za/2011/10/calendario-dellavvento-2.html

61 | WH | ISSUE 3 | 2016

We specialise in giving our clients the best service in their printing needs.

Proofs will be signed at your doorstep to ensure that you are happy.

For more Information please contact us at 071 354 5727

Issue 2 Colouring

COMPETITION WINNER Eloise Durandt - 7 years old

TO ADVERTISE IN

WOODHILL MAGAZINE

PLEASE CONTACT

TRACEY

ON 082 460 6007 OR EMAIL ads1@woodhillmag.co.za

• LOW AND HIGH VOLUME COPYING • TRAINING MANUALS • THESIS PRINTING AND BINDING • BUSINESS CARDS • CAR MAGNETS AND BANNERS • SIGN BOARDS

CONTACT NN PRINTING ON 082 897 7898

WH | APPROVED ESTATE AGENTS

r e h c s i F Narina 082 456 6051

narina@allestates.co.za Specialising in Woodhill and Surrounding Estates

21 years

of Realtor Experience

19 years with

Jowic