Courageous bear takes on Midmar Mile
“It is very expensive to assist all my friends. We know they cannot pay – they are just children. We need the money to help them and ensure they grow up in a safe environment where nobody will hurt them ever again,” says Bindi.
SWIMMING the Midmar Mile is a challenge most people are not willing to take on. But this year, a little teddy bear called Bindi will do exactly that.
Bindi, the world’s most courageous bear and spokesbear for The Teddy Bear Foundation will, on February 9, participate in the biggest open water swim in the world – the Midmar Mile. The race is held annually at the Midmar dam just outside Howick in KwaZulu-Natal.
Bindi is short for isiBindi, which means “courage” in Zulu. Apart from being an abused bear herself, who was helped by The Teddy Bear Foundation, she has already embarked on adventures that demand great courage. She completed her first 947 Cycle Challenge at the end of 2018.
“I do courageous things to show my friends that even if horrible things happened to you and people abused you, you can be courageous and overcome all of that. You can become a star,” said the bear.
“This year I will be swimming with two Olympic athletes,” said Bindi. “Natalie du Toit, who won gold medals at the Paralympic Games and holds several world swimming records, is my swim coach, while Elvira Wood, who fenced for South Africa in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, helps to make sure I have that ‘fighting spirit’.”
Natalie and Elvira are joined by team members Deon van Niekerk, Arthur Blake, Armas Ferreira, Stephan Cilliers and Tania Jurgeleit. Tania flew all the way from New Zeeland just to come and join Bindi in her swim.
Team Fortissimo – as they are known – will dedicate this year’s swim to Myles Sinclair, one of the team members who died suddenly at the end of 2018.
Apart from raising awareness for The Teddy Bear Foundation, the team hopes to raise R100 000 for the non-profit organisation.
“It is very expensive to assist all my friends. We know they cannot pay – they are just children. We need the money to help them and ensure they grow up in a safe environment where nobody will hurt them ever again,” said Bindi.
“Our mission is to minimise the secondary harm to children and their families when they enter the child protection system by providing expertise, information and support in order to make their journey a healing one. Each journey includes a medical examination, forensic assessment, therapy and court preparation, which all cost money,” said Dalene Bishop, donor liaison officer at the foundation.
“Please support our swim to rescue abused children from the deep waters they find themselves in, by enabling The Teddy Bear Foundation to continue to provide the specialised support services for victims of abuse,” the team said.
Bindi thanks all her supporters, including Jenna Clifford, who introduced Natalie to Dalene and The Teddy Bear Foundation, Hamleys toy store, which is a great supporter of Bindi and the foundation, Gino Mazza. “He makes the greatest pizzas on the planet at his restaurant Gino’s in Robertsham in the South of Johannesburg. He always welcomes the team and feeds us before we go for our swim,” said Bindi.
If you would like to support the team, you can use the BackaBuddy-system to make a donation.
“The BackaBuddy system enables you to make a donation easily; it really only takes a minute of your time and will make all the difference to the children at The Teddy Bear Foundation,” said Deon.
You can also support the team of swimmers with a sponsorship for the foundation by emailing Dalene on daleneb@ttbc.org.za or alternatively, deposit a donation directly into their bank account at Nedbank: Teddy Bear Clinic for Abused Children; account number 1944183361; branch code 194405; branch name: Parktown. Please include your name and Midmar as a reference. Alternatively, you can visit: https://www.backabuddy.co.za/champion/project/a-mile-to-lessen-the-hurt
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