Aurora Turns 50 - Gert Kruger

In 1966, a few brave men and women attended a meeting in the Red Cross Hall and decided to establish the then SANRA/SANCA Bloemfontein. It had a very humble start – a management board, volunteers and limited funds, but no paid employees. (It was only a couple of years later that paid staff were appointed). Over the years that followed, an out-patient programme was established, thereafter an in-patient programme for males (women later joined in a day programme and later as in-patients), a drug unit was opened and again closed, the adult treatment centre was renovated and later a separate youth treatment centre was established.

The service started as a prevention (information) unit and some years later the training of different target groups gained momentum. First student groups and later various other target groups until it became a subsidised service for the training of professionals and NPO members. At first the prevention and training unit were operating separately from the treatment component, but it became too expensive to duplicate services. Since 1992 all services were rendered from one premises.

Each of the above components had its own trials and tribulations, but all of it added value to the bigger unit. Behind the services, there were men and women who believed in the importance of such an organisation and sacrificed many hours and money to keep it sustainable. There were severe financial challenges - during 1973 and during 1987. Closure was considered, but never implemented. After 1992 bigger stability was obtained, but at no point was it possible to say: “We are secure in comfort”.

The Aurora Centre as it operates today is not the fruit of the labour of a few people, but rather the combined and ongoing effort of many men and women over 50 years. Those of us who are here today, are the benefactors of the work previous boards and staff did and at the same time contributors - building the organisation for the future. We want to honour every contributor and every service user for making it what it is today!

It is our sincere wish that the Aurora Centre will continue to exist for the benefit of all its service users. After all, this is the very reason for its existence .