Ready, steady, go for grandparents

FOR more than 30 years, Hibiscus Coast winters have been synonymous with sardines, sunny days and the much-anticipated Hibiscus Retirement Villages Grandparents’ Walk.

Entries are now open for the 32nd annual walk, from St Michael’s beach to Uvongo beach and back via Saints Walk, on July 8 at 8.30am. With about 400 sprightly seniors taking part every year, this event is one of the most popular – and longest running – sporty happenings on the South Coast. It is always a festive occasion with many spectators cheering on the entrants from the sidelines and plenty of grandchildren and well-behaved dogs joining the strollers, walkers and striders en route.

The Hibiscus Coast Rotary Anns and Rotarians, who organise the walk, see it as a wonderful way to honour our senior citizens and to thank them for all they have contributed to the South Coast. Although there is a fund-raising aspect to it, the main aim of the walk is to hold event specifically for them.

The Rotary Anns are encouraging grandparents to enter the walk and ask local businesses to support the event with sponsorship. For just R100, one of the South Coast’s sporty seniors will line up, wearing your sash with pride.

A firm tradition of the walk is the post-walk breakfast, cooked up by the Rotary Anns. Entry for the grandparents is free and so is this scrumptious breakfast. Entrants’ children and grandchildren are welcome to make it a family outing, but please note that breakfast for anyone other than a sponsored entrant is R50 per person.

All grandparents taking part in the walk are asked to bring along toiletries which the Rotary Anns will distribute to various charities. Also bring a deck chair for the post-walk breakfast. If you would like to enter the walk or if you or your business would like to a sponsor a grandparent at R100, contact Doug or Cathy Kent at 039 3150926 or 082 8564971.