It takes guts and determination to make a small difference in the world, and we need more of it.
What started out as a personal challenge amongst seven Durban friends has turned into a challenge of the heart, and a quest to make a difference. There are many top athletes and celebrities and in the world participating in super human challenges like scaling Mt. Kilimanjaro or traversing the Artic, and there are ordinary everyday people doing extraordinary things all in the name of charity.
Durban business partners and husband and wife team Chris and Trish Molyneaux took up Mountain Biking as a sport only a few months ago, and signed up for the ultimate Mountain Biking adventure; The Old Mutual JoBerg2C 9 day stage race. Novices to the sport, they managed to rope in close friends from Waterfall, Dave and Clare Ducker to join in the adventure. It wasn’t long before their excitement spread to include Trish’s long time personal trainer Domingo Pestana Do Vale from Health@202 and her youngest daughter and Durban harbour helicopter pilot, Nedene Cahill along with eldest daughter and highway business owner Janita Bold from G’rilla Marketing.
As the training intensified and long hours where spent on the bike planning coping strategies for the ultimate challenge that lay ahead, it wasn’t long before everyone realised that a motivation to complete each stage of the nine day event needed to be found . . . charity. Riding for a cause bigger than oneself was a positive way to motivate everyone.
“Being the least fit and having spent the fewest hours on the bike in training, leaves me as the weakest link in the team, that’s pressure enough,” said Janita. “But knowing that whatever challenge faces me out there is nothing compared to the plight of others is motivation to ride harder to finish.”
Back in March 2003, Trish and Janita walked the 1600km garden route from Durban to Cape Town, a journey completed by 16 teammates in 14 days to raise awareness and funds for women and child abuse. “I’m always one for a challenge!” says Trish. “And if it’s for a good cause, even more so.”
Just six weeks before the event, Nedene Cahill smashed her collar bone out on the Cascades MTB course whilst training as part of the South African XCO world cup team, decreasing the JoBerg2C team down to six. “I’ll have to do it another time!” She said. “It is really disappointing, but I am still behind them all the way.”
With six charities to support and all with needs larger than anyone could imagine the team have set a fundraising target of R 60,000.00. If each team member manages to ride each of the 900 or so kilometres, that will be a total distance of more than 5400km!
The six cyclists will ride in the colours of; SANCCOB, MAD – Make A Difference Foundation, Sabrina Love Foundation, Pink Drive, Door Of Hope Children’s Mission and Reach For A Dream Foundation. All monies raised will be shared equally between all of the charities.
We are asking everyone to donate; individuals, corporates and Round Tablers and Rotarians.
Ordinary people can do extraordinary things when others are behind them!
A donation page has been set up via Back a Buddy – To donate to the cause and to read more about each of the charities we will be riding for please go to Back a Buddy, Joberg2C Charity Drive.
To follow the team on Facebook, please join the Joberg2C Charity Drive 2012 group.
The team will provide regular updates on training and preparation between now and the event and daily updates during the race between the 27 April and 5 May. The race will also be televised over the nine days on Supersport 6 at 9pm between the 27 April and 5 May.
For more information please email: Janita Bold
janita@gorillamarketing.co.za
