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Maxi’s Mokopane spearheads community fundraiser for medical expenses

Maxi’s is well known as a restaurant brand that really cares about its local communities. So when its Mokopane franchise owners, Johan and Adri Potgieter, heard about a local woman in need, they immediately set about raising funds through an innovative and effective initiative.

Elmarie Kruger was diagnosed with colon cancer in February 2014 and doesn’t have medical aid. She is the only working family member, as her husband lost his job in 2009. He is also chronically ill and is only able to do part time work.  Although Elmarie’s family have arranged events to raise money to keep the family going, the medical costs are causing great financial difficulties. Maxi's Mokopane stepped into the gap three months ago to rally the locally community with a “Mokopane Cares” campaign that asked all its customers to add R2 to the total when they paid for their meals.

“The Mokopane Cares campaign is just one of several initiatives in our community service contribution,” says Johan.  “We outlined details of the fundraiser on the table placemats, and Adri and I are very proud of our customers’ generous response to the campaign. They understand the difficulties and impact that poor health can have on any of our lives and they responded with a great deal of compassion. By December, we managed to raise just over R6 000 to help with Elmarie’s expenses. This amount was raised by the contributions of 2 043 customers, another R2 000 was donated on behalf of the Maxi’s Head Office.”

“We would like to thank our staff and loyal customers, as well as our head office, for their support. There’s a lot of individual need in our local community and we’re committed to implementing similar fundraisers in the future for worthy causes just like Elmarie’s.”

Maxi’s Marketing Manager, Yolandi Ferreira, comments that the Potgieter family are real role models in the franchising industry.

“They are not only highly successful restaurateurs, but they are also caring people who recognise that they are ideally positioned to make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate,” she says.  “Adri and Johan are real assets to the Maxi’s brand and we look forward to many, many more successful years with them.”

For more information on a tried and tested family restaurant franchise or to find your closest Maxi’s, simply visit www.maxis.co.za.