‘Homeless Run’ bikers trek 500km to raise funds for children’s shelters
The route took riders through various towns, including Volksrust and Vryheid, before reaching Ballito, where they spent a night on the streets before embarking on the return journey.
Five hundred kilometres of open road and a night sleeping rough is all in a day’s work for ‘Homeless Run’ riders.
Nineteen intrepid bikers from a number of different clubs trekked from Standerton in Mpumalanga to Ballito last Saturday, covering the 500km in about six hours.
They did so as part of the annual Homeless Run event, now in its second year, which aims to raise funds for children’s shelters in Mpumalanga.
To truly get a feeling for what orphaned children and other homeless people deal with on a daily basis, the group also slept on Ballito’s streets overnight.
“There are thousands of people across South Africa who are forced into these circumstances every night,” said Homeless Run founder and Boanerges club member, Andre du Plessis.
“And even those who live in shelters may be housed, but they never have a true home to go back to. We are just trying to get a better understanding of what that’s like and why the donations are important.”
Last year just four riders made the trip and Du Plessis was hopeful that the growth to 19 this year could be gaining momentum for a larger group going forward.
“We are currently raising funds for the Secunda Children’s Home, but would love to be able to support homes and shelters in all of the towns we visit in the future,” he said.
The route took riders south on the R23 to Volksrust, onto the R34 through Vryheid before following the R66 to the N2 and south-west to Ballito.
After a night on the streets, the group did the exact same trip in reverse on the way home on Sunday.
Bikers were mainly drawn from the Boanerges, Road Hawks and No Rules clubs and came from Gauteng and Mpumalanga.
Their gruff exteriors hide hearts of gold.
“We don’t have a social media page or website, but just got riders through word of mouth and some promotion on the online Biker Heart Radio station.”
If you would like to join next year’s run or donate toward the cause (donations accepted until the end of April), call Du Plessis at 082 548 2432.
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