Casual Day is on Friday – have you bought your Casual Day sticker and planned how you will join the festivities yet?

“When it comes to a universal language, nothing is better understood than a smile,” says Therina Wentzel, the national director of the National Council of and for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD).

“This is why we chose #ShareASmile as our 2023 theme. People often underestimate the effect of smiles on others. A smile shows acceptance and spreads happiness. It encourages positive thinking and is contagious. What better theme could there be for an awareness and fundraising campaign in support of persons with disabilities?”

On Casual Day, teams from the NCPD will be on the ground, collecting smiles and donations and speaking at various events around the country – and Wentzel hopes that South Africans will join in and give people with disabilities a reason to spread their smiles as widely as possible.

Through the sale of awareness stickers, Casual Day supports the work of hundreds of schools and organisations in the disability sector, which is why Caxton Local Media is a proud Casual Day partner.

Join the Casual Day movement

Buy your Casual Day sticker (R20 each) or specially branded merchandise on or before September 1.

“Don’t go about it quietly, however,” says Wentzel. “Get your school or colleagues to do the same and be loud and proud in supporting people with disabilities.

“Pair your sticker with some bright lipstick, face paint or retro hairdos, or host smile-inspired activities, such as an open-mic comedy show or a funny photo competition. Whatever you choose to do, make a splash to visibly promote kindness, goodwill, and positivity in support of persons with disabilities in South Africa.”

Stickers are available from Associations of and for Persons with Disabilities, government departments, schools and retailers, including Alpha Pharm, Jet, Toys R Us, Loot online, Jam Clothing, the Hub, Clicks, the Crazy Store and Eskort, as well as Finbond and BKB.

You can also get your personalised digital Casual Day stickers online.

Share your Casual Day story

Tag the NCPD in your photos using the hashtag #ShareASmile #CasualDay (Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram or LinkedIn). Remember, your digital or physical sticker must be visible.

Catch the teams in action

NCPD teams will visit schools, government departments and companies. These are some of the places that they will be:

• Accenture Johannesburg and Cape Town;
• Beyond Disability SA in Limpopo;
• City of Johannesburg municipality;
• Colgate-Palmolive;
• Momentum Metropolitan Gauteng, KZN, and Cape Town;
• Reoleboge Special School (Miss Casual Day);
• SAPS;
• Shoprite/Checkers; and the
• Steve Biko Academic Hospital.