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Starfish Greathearts at the 2003 Hansa Powerade Dusi
Starfish volunteer, Jeanne-Ann Stott.
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Canoeists competing in the 2003 Dusi Marathon in January enthusiastically signed up to become "Starfish Dusi Greathearts". As such, they committed themselves to raise funds from friends, family, colleagues and companies to benefit children orphaned and left vulnerable by HIV/AIDS in the Valley of a Thousand Hills, through which the Dusi annually runs its course.
Among these were top competitors Ant Stott and Deon Bruss, as well as Chief Nkosi Malaba in a celebrity boat piloted by Hilton Mundy. The Starfish Charitable Foundation is a proactive organisation committed to positive action and the upliftment of children affected by HIV/AIDS in South Africa.
Starfish believes that every individual has a role to play in turning the tide on AIDS, and has attracted countless imaginative, motivated and successful individuals as volunteers. Individual volunteers become distinguished as Greathearts when they "pick up their starfish" and raise funds in their individual capacity - just as the Starfish Dusi Greathearts did this year.
The Starfish KwaZulu-Natal Chapter reports that as at 6th February 2003, the funds raised at the Marathon totalled R 82 000. With this being the first-ever Dusi campaign involving Starfish fundraising, the team of KZN volunteers was overwhelmed at the support of the Dusi committee, its major sponsors Hansa and Powerade, and the many paddlers and supporters.
The Dusi committee's idea of auctioning 60 places from the Dusi website raised R 38 000 alone, by far exceeding the target of R20 000. Another R 5000, along with immeasurable awareness, was generated with the boat being donated by Popes Canoe Centre Supporters Club.
When the Hansa celebrities lost to their Powerade rivals in the three-day celebrity challenge, Hansa wrote their R15 000 defeat cheque over to the Starfish Foundation. To everyone's joyful surprise, Powerade announced at the prizegiving that they would match the Hansa cheque with an additional R15 000, bringing the total to R30 000 as the celebrity contribution to the event.
The 10 orphans of AIDS being supported by Starfish who were present at the river each day, helping to pull the boats out of the water, were thrilled with their daily experience of interacting with the paddlers. Starfish volunteers saw the children's confidence grow over the three days and many of them are now inspired to learn how to paddle, while the paddlers greatly appreciated the assistance given by the children.
On Day Three, the children could be "just kids" at the Dusi Starfish Fun Day, and 70 orphans of AIDS from the area enjoyed drinks and breakfast burgers with the whole Starfish team at Inanda Dam. The makers of Powerade kindly sponsored the drinks and Spur generously provided the food. Volunteers from the Golden Key organisation helped to supervise the swimming and games programme for the children, and ensured that they were present to cheer the paddlers finishing their race.
School fees, uniforms and stationery for the children's schooling are priorities in the disbursement of funds raised through Starfish efforts. Once the children's most pressing needs are met, left-over funds are put towards establishing the first "StarCentre" in the Valley - another Starfish concept designed to provide sustainable communal support to the children by focusing on education, food security, recreation, income generation and nurturing for the children.
Visit the Starfish website: www.starfishcharity.org
and for more information contact
Candice Smith
Starfish KZN Chapter
Cell: 082 854 2242
E-mail [email protected].
Donations can be deposited directly into the Starfish Charitable Foundation account:
Standard Bank
Sandton City Branch (Code 01 92 05)
Current Account Number: 022 690 867
(NB : please reference deposits clearly as GHXXXXD when transferring funds).
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Fun Day for Starfish children at the 2003 Dusi Canoe Marathon
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