Events

Lebanon youth receive a welcomed BMX donation from FNB Wines2Whales and PPA

· By Matt · 0 comments

Three youth from the Lebanon Village in Elgin Grabouw recently received a welcomed BMX donation from the organizers of the FNB Wines2Whales and Pedal Power Association (PPA).

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Three youth from the Lebanon Village in Elgin Grabouw recently received a welcomed BMX donation from the organizers of the FNB Wines2Whales and Pedal Power Association (PPA). Seen here (from left to right):

Aswell Swartz (Cape Trails), Elrico Mento, Marquin Lukas and Nigel Coetzee.

Photo Credit ~ Cherie Vale /NEWSPORT MEDIA

Nigel Coetzee, Elrico Mento (aka Kleinboet) and Marquin Lukas were the lucky recipients of this donation.

According to Johan Kriegler, FNB Wines2Whales Co-Director, the FNB Wines2Whales does not only focus on scenic and fun routes, but also on making a difference to the communities situated along the route.

“The Lebanon Village lies close to our hearts. We met with Sam Linders, Chairperson of the Lebanon Community, in 2012 to discuss ways in which the FNB Wines2Whales and PPA could help enrich the lives of the youth in the community. A couple of the initiatives decided on included sponsoring the Lebanon Crèche, donating music instruments to the local band, donating BMX’s to the youth that assist in building the mountain bike (MTB) trails and then finally involving the youth as event marshals on the day.

The MTB Trails are situated around the Lebanon Village and will be a “play park” for those with BMX bicycles. The youth assist in building these trails in their free time under the guidance of Aswell Swartz of Cape Trails, a SMME with the key objective to build and maintain MTB trails. The youth earn pocket money as well as points towards a BMX. All 2013 FNB Wines2Whales participants can look forward to meeting our BMX Marshalls on route in November,” says Kriegler.

“I can definitely see a change in the behavior of the Lebanon youth,” says Aswell Swartz of Cape Trails. “The way that they speak to each other has changed and there’s a nice spirit amongst them. I teach them how to build the MTB routes, how to build turns, how to get the level and how to find routes used by animals. I’ll now also provide them with tips on how to ride and look after their bikes”.

Event Information:

Starting in the Winelands of Somerset West, riders will cross through (and over) 13 wineries, 26 private farms, six mountains, historic roads and mountain passes, nature conservation areas (including the Kogelberg Biosphere) before finishing within sight of the famous whales of Hermanus!

For more information on the FNB Wines2Whales MTB events contact 076 118 0874, e-mail entries@wines2whales.co.za or visit www.wines2whales.co.za

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