Nik Rabinowitz joins SANCCOB’s donate-a-brick campaign
Popular South African stand-up comedian, Nik Rabinowitz, has appealed to the public to help raise the outstanding funds necessary to complete the construction of our new seabird hospital in Cape Town. Building of the hospital started in March and additional funds are urgently needed to complete the project before the end of the year.
Nik Rabinowitz is a seasoned regular on the local and international comedy circuit and recently played host to the popular Tyres and Braaiers show on SABC 3. Frequently involved in charitable work, Rabinowitz has been a SANCCOB ambassador for a number of years, actively helping to raise funds for our vital seabird rescue and rehabilitation work in southern Africa.
His public appeal was filmed in the Two Oceans Aquarium’s Rockhopper penguin exhibit and features Rabinowitz and his son interacting with some of the resident Rockhoppers.
Rabinowitz speaks about the new x–ray facility, medical rooms and washing centres, and jokingly adds, “Man-caves for Teddy [the Rockhopper penguin] and of course washing, drying and blow-drying facilities for the Rockhoppers whose hairstyles need to be kept in pristine condition.”
Construction of the new seabird hospital is nearly roof height with the new penguin pools and pen areas on track to be completed in time for our busiest time of the year: African penguin chick season. Between October and January, SANCCOB admits between 400 and 500 abandoned African penguin chicks for rehabilitation, with the help of colony managers.
Approximately two thirds of the total building costs have been secured, leaving R3 million still needed to complete the new, state-of-the-art seabird hospital.
“Donate a brick for R50 or donate multiple bricks because we need five million bucks to finish this by the end of 2017 so the Rockhoppers, African penguins and a variety of other rescued seabirds can get the medical attention they require,” Rabinowitz adds.
Members of the public can donate a brick or more at just R50 ($4/€4/£3) each.