Ralph Waldo Emerson once said: "The purpose of life is not just to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honourable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well!”

According to the Louis Trichardt SPCA, Craig Carty of Thathe Vondo fits this phrase down to a T and has to be one of those special human beings. “…honourable, compassionate and he surely has made such a massive difference in the lives of so many animals!” said Alicia Thomas, spokesperson for the local SPCA.

When it was time to celebrate his birthday once more, Craig decided to rather give back than to receive and he did just that in such an amazing way! Craig organized a fundraiser/birthday bash and all his family, friends, colleagues - basically anyone who wanted to - could join the celebration and also donate funds toward our SPCA, instead of bringing him a birthday gift.

Craig arranged the birthday bash for his 43^rd birthday on 21 April at his home in Thathe Vondo and it was an open invitation to all. Everyone from the SPCA also attended. “With the help of his amazing friends it was an incredible, fun-filled, super special evening. He was surrounded by so many very close friends, old and new, and of course all six of his rescued pups, four of which he adopted from our SPCA, might I add,” said Alicia. There was a beautiful birthday cake for each of his special rescued kids too, and what a beautiful place to have the celebration.

Craig’s birthday gift to the Louis Trichardt SPCA totalled to a whopping R15 500. The SPCA said the two small words “thank you” would never be enough to express their gratitude. “Yet, we still want to say thank you, Craig, and thank you to each and every person who donated to your birthday bash. We are truly speechless, so incredibly blessed and thankful and even more so are our animals. Craig, the saying by Winston Churchill goes: ‘We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give’. You surely make life so much more colourful, exciting, and in this instance, you have helped us to touch and change so many lives of animals in need. Thank you for giving and making a life,” said Alicia.

The SPCA, on behalf of Craig, thanked the following people and businesses for making the birthday bash unforgettable. They were Momma Cynthia and her daughter, Rethabile, of Mahoa Catering for the salads, side dishes and place settings, Paida’s Cookie Factory for the cakes, Pieter and Margaret Snyman of Makhoma Butchery for the spices and marinades, Thinamaano Ndou, Khuthadzo Madumi and Mulalo Avhukhuvhelwi of Vondo Landscaping Services for the event set-up and music and Humbulani Makhoshi, who was the braai master. “Thank you once again to all who contributed in any way. Our SPCA and our animals are forever grateful. Happy birthday, Craig, the world became a better place the day you were born,” said Alicia.