We are pleased to announce that Rayne Stroebel has been designated International Regional Coordinator for South Africa. During 2011, he introduced South Africa to The Eden Alternative via a ‘road show’ across the country. With the help of June Burgess, International Regional Coordinator for the UK, he provided Certified Eden Associate Training across the country, resulting in 126 new Eden Associates!
Rayne has an absolute passion for caring for Elders. He was born into long term care in South Africa, where his mother was the matron of an “Old Age Home.” After his studies, Rayne ended up in Cape Town as a Food Service Manager in the kitchen of a care home. Rayne’s dynamic approach and passion for the people he was serving soon opened up a wonderful opportunity – he single-handedly won the contract to cater for the home, taking the reins away from one of South Africa’s largest catering
companies. This was only the beginning!
Rayne established GERATEC (www.geratecza.com) in 1996, a company that provided professional food and cleaning services to long-term care communities. The aim was to improve general quality of life
through scientific nutritional programs and other related services. The company focus also included training and research, which not only made GERATEC stand out from so many other catering companies, but made room for Rayne’s innovative thinking and constant desire to better services. Soon ‘managing care’ was added to the services GERATEC offered.
When Rayne visited the UK in September 2010, he realized he had found an ally in rendering services to people in long-term care communities, and immediately returned to complete Certified Eden Associate Training in October. Since returning to South Africa, Rayne has left no stone unturned to inspire and improve. GERATEC found a clear direction and can now, more than ever, follow the company vision with absolute conviction. GERATEC’s values – being respect, integrity, compassion and innovation – are
reflected not only from the Director’s chair, but in the hearts and in the hands of the nearly 500 team members.
GERATEC is currently investing in training and coaching and to help homes to move away from the institutional model to a person-directed model of care. GERATEC provides services in Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durbanville, Fish Hoek, Johannesburg, Kimberley, Panorama, Pretoria, Somerset West, Stellenbosch, Strand, Noordhoek, Hermanus, and Wellington.
Rayne also has a school of cooking on the GERATEC support office grounds, ELEVEN FOOD COACHING CO-OP (www.11cooks.com), which provides training for all areas of the food industry and in the first instance, addressing the training needs for the team at GERATEC.
