Reach Out: Adopt a Cyclist

[Breeze]

Reach out:  ?Adopt a development cycling kid?<?:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

 

Cycling is firstly a means of therapy at the Jakaranda and Louis Botha Children?s Homes in <?:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Pretoria.  120 kinds are weekly part of this cycling development programme.  Tinus Erwee, executive director of the two Children?s Homes, follows a structured development programme to teach these kids important life lessons.  The kids are taught to work together as a team, to be responsible for basic bike maintenance, to finish what you start.

 

Tinus Erwee takes on the streets of Tshwane with 80 bicycles (liquorice all sorts).  The other 40 kids are still too young and enjoy the mountain bikes in the leisure parks with the help of willing social workers.

 

The two Children?s Homes have 120 bicycles ? too big, too small, old ones and a few proper road bikes for the identified licensed riders.  All the equipment is stored at the two Children?s Homes with proper control.  Every child has a dedicated bicycle, helmet and cycling shoes.

 

Archie Holtzhausen and Wimpie GouwsonName> (Prince?s Park McCarthy Volkswagen) started an extended development programme with 10 of these kids.  These kids were licensed and Archie managed to find individual sponsorships from the Gauteng cycling community to make these kids part of the licensed cycling community.

 

These kids took the opportunity on with both hands.  Their results are the proof: These kids were 27 times on the podium at the various licensed races during 2006; they won 3 medals at the

Gauteng North Road

and Time Trial championships.  The highlight of the year was when Edward Maritz won the SA Time Trial title for boys under 14 at the

SA Road

and Time Trial championships.

 

Quo vadis? The vision is to extend this programme to provide 60 kids the same opportunity during 2007 that will enable them to compete on the highest level.  Barry and Ciska Austin support this program and will assist with the training and development of identified youngsters.  The aim is to develop the youngsters in such a way that will enable them to compete on international level as part of an ?excellence team?.

 

What is necessary to make this dream come true?

Individuals or companies willing to sponsor or co-sponsor a development kid for a year (+-R6000).  The costs are mainly for summer kit, winter kit, entries for 20 races, supplements and food after each race.

Road bikes (mainly small frames for the girls)

Spare parts for maintenance

Mountain bikes (for competition purposes)

Cycling shoes

Helmets

Cycling kit (small and extra small)

People willing to help.

 

Let us reach out to a large number of unprivileged kids with a passion to become part of the bigger cycling community. 

 

You can contact Archie Holtzhausen on 082 416 7124 or e-mail him at archie.h@mweb.co.za  or Wimpie GouwsonName> on 082 800 4400 or e-mail him at WimpieG@mcmotor.co.za . 

[MichH]

This sounds like a well run, and excellently thought out campaign. I will see what I can do to raise the R6 000...