11 March 2008

By Sipho None

A CASUAL meeting of friends to plan for the annual Cape Argus cycle race over a cup of coffee last year, has turned into a project to benefit children suffering from life-threatening illness.

According to the media co-ordinator of the P&L Cycling Club, Alida de Beer, the trip to Cape Town started over a cup of coffee, and has turned into a charity benefiting the Reach for a Dream foundation.

“The whole idea started last year [2007] when some of our guys were planning for the Cape Argus cycle race, and this initiative [riding across the country to the race] was discussed over a cup of coffee,” De Beer said. “So all team members were roped in and we all agreed to cycle all the way to Cape Town with the view to raise funds for the cash-needy foundation.”

Reach for a Dream is a non-governmental organisation that strongly believes in the power of dreams. It encourages children of all income groups and of any race, between the ages of three and 18, to use their dreams to fight life-threatening illnesses such as cancer, leukemia and kidney failure, among others.

This it does by working to fulfill sick children’s most cherished dreams.

“Some of the children’s dreams are simple and others are more expensive. We want to raise funds for that cause and we hope that by so doing we will [be able to] fulfill some of their dreams,” De Beer said.

The P & L Cycling Club started its trip at the Biet Bridge border post with Zimbabwe in Mussina on 16 February; the cyclists stopped and stayed overnight at various towns, where they met the mayors and other officials. They had a number of individual sponsors, who contributed at least R1 a kilometre for an individual cyclist.

Mohale Selebi, the executive manager in the Office of the Mayor, greeted the team on its way through Mogale City. He was standing in for Executive Mayor Koketso Calvin Seerane. He was elated and wished the cycling team well in its endeavour to raise funds.

“We are humbled to be part of this initiative, whose team members saw fit to put aside their tight work responsibilities to cycle for a good cause,” Selebi said, handing over a message of support to one of the members, Johan van Dijkhorst.

“The municipality’s executive and employees are elated and hope that the team will cycle safely all the way to Cape Town, and raise sufficient funds for the cause of all kids suffering from life-threatening illnesses.”

The 18-member team reached Cape Town on 6 March and completed the 2 077km tour by taking part in the Cape Argus race on Sunday, 9 March.

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