The charities benefiting from The Unlimited Dusi 2012 have received a significant boost with the event’s Charity Batch auction raising a whopping R368 020 and simultaneously smashing the previous fundraising record.
The Charity Batch is an online auction system, which allows competitors to bid for an earlier start on each day of the gruelling three-day canoe marathon. The sixty highest bidders have secured a Charity Batch placement and will therefore move up earlier on the starting line. A daily head start offers a huge competitive advantage as the paddlers will be out on the water earlier to beat the midday sun and also avoid the congestion as more batches set off from the starting line.
Paddling pals Nigel Barnes and Kevin Waterston set a new record for the highest bid ever at R41 550. This will be Barnes’ first attempt at The Unlimited Dusi, while Waterston will be part of the action for the tenth time. “We only have two goals for this magnificent race – one is to complete it and the other was to reach our target bid,” explains Barnes.
The Charity Batch paddlers will join 5FM’s Sias du Plessis, his paddling partner Deon Bruss and the Ginger Army by donning ginger wigs for the duration of the race. The Ginger Army includes TV and radio personalities Liezel van der Westhuizen and Bonang Matheba, who will team up with top paddlers Greg van Heerden and Ant Stott respectively to participate in The Unlimited Dusi to raise further awareness for the event charities.
The official beneficiaries of The Unlimited Dusi are The Unlimited Child, a non-profit organisation advocating the urgent need of early childhood development intervention, the SPCA and the Dusi Umgeni Conservancy Trust. According to Cassy Healey, CEO of The Unlimited Child, the fundraising response from this year’s competitors has been incredible. “We are ecstatic! The batch has smashed last year’s record breaking total and Nigel and Kevin have been absolutely amazing setting the standard so high! This brings us one giant step closer to our target of stimulating 1,2-million children by 2016. I would like to thank everyone for their generous support and to wish them good luck for the race!” mentions Healey.
Every cent raised by The Unlimited Child goes into their operation to train caregivers in existing crèches to stimulate children between the ages of 0-6 years and to provide on-going support to these facilities on a monthly basis.
The Unlimited Child provides educational toys and caregiver training, which enables underprivileged crèches to give children the stimulation they need to achieve their full potential in life. The Unlimited Child has already significantly influenced the lives of close to 14 000 children and 626 caregivers in over 220 crèches in the Valley of 1000 hills. The organisation aims to reach 25 000 crèches throughout South Africa over the next five years. For more information, visit the website at www.theunlimitedchild.co.za.
