Coca-Cola Fortune supports Wheelchair Wednesday

“Have fun and enjoy the day” Johnny Graham, Public Education & Awareness/ Fundraising Officer, Association for Persons with Disability (APD) Limpopo stated last week Wednesday, before he sent the team from Coca-Cola Fortune off on a wheelchair challenge.
The Wheelchair Wednesday Campaign provides disabled children with wheelchairs and creates accessibility awareness for challenges wheelchair-bound persons face daily.
The teams participating paid an entrance fee of R6 000 which will provide a child with a wheelchair. Participating teams need to spend four hours in a wheelchair – at least 30 minutes per person per turn.
Team Coca-Cola Fortune with three entries received three wheelchairs and sealed envelopes consisting the challenges they had to complete. These challenges included getting in and out of a vehicle without the use of legs, going to the nearest shopping centre and trying to withdraw money from an ATM.

Before the teams were sent off, Graham offered a crash course on how to steer the wheelchair. Basic elements such as turn, stop, reverse and how to get up a step if no ramp is available were demonstrated.
Team Coca-Cola decided to take their wheelchairs back to the office where their colleagues could also participate. Human Resource (HR) Officer Susan Venter said the experience was eye-opening.
“It makes you very aware of the needs of individuals in wheelchairs. I think all businesses should take up this challenge.”

Alet-Elize van Jaarsveld: Coca-Cola Fortune employees Florence Morake, HR Graduate-in-training, Susan Venter, HR Officer and Girley KwaKwa, HR Graduate-in training with Johnny Graham, Public Education & Awareness / Fundraising Officer, APD Limpopo, second from left. The envelopes contain the participants’ Wheelchair Wednesday challenges.