Aged 15 to 19, the 12 girls and nine boys are cycling 450km from Barrydale to Cape Town as part of their epic Groenvlei Bilionetworks Cycle Challenge. Picture: Facebook Aged 15 to 19, the 12 girls and nine boys are cycling 450km from Barrydale to Cape Town as part of their epic Groenvlei Bilionetworks Cycle Challenge. Picture: Facebook
Cape Town – Twenty-one cyclists from Groenvlei High School in Lansdowne are on a stamina-sapping six-day mission to promote peace in communities and collect funds for the Aris Cancer Foundation.
Aged 15 to 19 years, the 12 girls and nine boys are cycling 450km from Barrydale to Cape Town as part of their epic Groenvlei Bilionetworks Cycle Challenge.
Their teacher, Godfrey Hendrickse, who is part of a five-man support team riding with the young cyclists, spoke to the Cape Times while cycling out of the town of Elem yesterday.
He said the team started their journey on Monday from Barrydale, near Swellendam.
The learners include: Kelly Petersen, Kelly Mienies, Jamie-Lee Gordon, Shayleen Naidoo, Kyle Jackson, Tamicah Louw, Kim Fisher, Tahan Choffinale, Zeenat Gordon, Yazeed Benjamin, Kauthur Fisher and Shaylin Naidoo.
Lukmaan du Toit, Keenan Jackson, Brian Rushin, Delano Timm, Layla Hamze, Chante’ Adams, Zoa Nombuzana, Abduraghmaan Philander and Kyle Phillips are also taking part.
Prior to their ride, the learners visited and distributed stationery, soccer and rugby balls, colour cones and other items during interactions with Suurbraak Primary School pupils, the Net Vir Pret NGO in Barrydale, the Railton Foundation in Swellendam and the Kibuts Community Development Centre in Worcester.
Hendrickse said their mission, apart from their peace-promoting activities through interactions with schools and the NGOs, was to raise R300 000. “The monies (raised) will be divided between Groenvlei High, for its peace initiatives, and the Aris Cancer Foundation in Diep River,“ he said.
The fact that the learners had sacrificed their holidays to train every weekend and after school for the past six months, to be prepared for the challenge, showed their commitment and passion for a worthy cause, said Hendrickse.
“The amount of interest from people wherever we go has been overwhelming, because the awareness we are trying to bring affects everybody's life and that is cancer and peace.”
The cycling team’s chair, Timm, said: “This cycling epic or challenge has really impacted on my life tremendously. What made it special is we had so many falls, so much blood and sickness, but through it all we have persevered.”
The cyclists are due to arrive at their school on Saturday at about 1pm and have invited other cyclists to show their support by joining them in Stellenbosch on the last 48km leg of their ride dubbed, The Bring them Home Leg.
Riders will have to register at 8.30am at the Hyundai car dealership in Stellenbosch and make a donation of R1000 each. Donations of R20 can be made by sending an SMS with the word CYCLE to 40553.
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