More than R3 000 raised during charity race
The fifth Riverside Take a Step 4 Children road race took place recently at a blistering pace through Mbombela.
Altogether 486 runners started the race from Riverside Mall. The route is popular with road runners because of the scenery.
One of its stages is through the botanical garden. Motijalepula Mothosola ran the fastest time of 31:47 and was the first senior to complete the 10-kilometre race. Hot on his heels was Nthothoko Maseko in second place in 32:11. In third place was Bheki Mknosi with a time of 33:27.
The first woman to cross the finish line was Nonthokoza Dlamini in 39:01. Lowveld Canoe Club organised the race and Kuen Pappas of the club said the race was a great success. “It was enjoyed by all the participants. We are already looking forward to next year,” said Pappas.
Riverside Park is celebrating its 21st birthday this year and it chooses a different children’s beneficiary each year.
This year it is one of the Penreach Toy Libraries which forms part of the Umphakatsi Early Childhood Development (ECD) Programme. This was launched by Penreach in the Msholozi community in February this year, hoping to increase access to quality ECD services for young children in underprivileged communities.
Less than 30 per cent of kids under the age of four in Mpumalanga receive any kind of formal early learning. Umphakatsi is a siSwati term meaning “community”.
The Msholozi community has embraced the project with volunteers trained by Penreach working with families and engaging with the children via the use of educational toys from the Toy Libraries.
“Riverside Park will hand over a R3 000 donation, the funds generated from our 10-kilometre charity road race, to Phumlani Village Toy Library in Msholozi next week,” said marketing coordinator of Riverside Park, Jo-anne Wearne.
