Comrades Marathon runners raise funds to feed eight students for a year
Author: Christel House South Africa
The grueling 89.9 km Comrades Marathon took place this past Sunday and saw a group of nine runners collectively raising just over R40 000 to feed students who attend Christel House South Africa, a non-profit, no-fee school based in Ottery, Cape Town.
Students who attend Christel House SA reside in some of the most under-resourced communities on the Cape Flats and depend on the school for two nutritious meals and snacks daily. For many of the students, the meals they receive at Christel House SA are their only meals for the day. A hungry child cannot learn, which is why the fundraising efforts of the group of Comrades Marathon runners is so crucial. It costs R5 000 to feed one student for the year. By raising R40 000, the marathon runners have ensured that at least eight students are fed for an entire year.
Two of the runners, Malcolm Fiellies and Jan Du Toit, received the Bill Rowan medal, which is awarded to those who finish in under nine hours. The school’s very own high school principal, Dr Ronald Fortune, also took up the challenge to run the marathon. . Dr Fortune managed to finish the race in 11 hours and 47 minutes but mentions that his real highlight is helping to fundraise for his students. “This was my second attempt at completing the Comrades and what motivated me to finish the race was knowing that I did it for my students. All the training that I did in preparation for the race and funds received from supporters gave me that extra boost and motivation to complete the race,” says Dr Ronald Fortune.
Some of the Comrades Marathon runners won’t stop there. They will also participate in the school’s biggest fundraising campaign of the year, the Virtual Fitness Challenge. The campaign challenges individuals and companies to walk, run or cycle and fundraise for the school from 1-30 September 2022. Funds raised from the campaign will benefit Christel House's students by providing them with a character-based, career-focused education as well as daily transport to school and back, professional health care, nutritious meals, psychosocial counselling, family assistance, and career planning and support. Christel House SA aims to raise R300 000 and meet a collective fitness goal of 25 663kms. Register for free, using this link: www.charityfootprints.com/ChristelHouseSA/.