HOEDSPRUIT – The greens of Hoedspruit were filled with laughter, friendly rivalry, and community spirit this Valentine’s Day as locals gathered for the annual Bowls for Charity event hosted by Pick n Pay Hoedspruit.

This year, all proceeds went to the Rotary Club Hoedspruit, whose dedication to community development and support continues to inspire residents.

Organiser Natasha McGuire said the event was a wonderful success. “We do this every year for different local charities. This year was for the Rotary Club. We had 20 teams of four people each playing bowls. The theme, naturally, was lovers in the air, Valentines and all that! We also had competitions for best dressed teams, and that was won by the Dutch Sweethearts,” she explained.

The day started at 09:00 with muffins and tea, followed by the first round of bowls at 10:30. After some sandwiches, players returned to the greens for a second round. Boerewors rolls and refreshments kept participants energised throughout the day.

Alongside the games, the event featured several raffles, with over 40 prizes, and a couple of auctions to raise funds. “It was an amazing, fantastic day for the whole community,” McGuire added.

The Lowveld Academy (LA) was well represented, with two teams enjoying the fun and competitive spirit.

LA’s Tilana Harding shared the excitement.

“What an incredible Bowls for Charity event, LA entered two teams. The day was filled with fun, laughter, and just the right amount of friendly competition.”

The LA2 team triumphed, securing first place, while the LA1 team finished third. In a light-hearted twist, the two teams even played an extra round to compete for a day off work, all in good spirits.

“A heartfelt thank you to all role players and teams who contributed to such a successful and memorable event,” Tilana said.