Go big this casual day

September 6 is Casual Day and the organisers are hoping to make this the biggest one to date because the theme for this year is ‘BIG’ – the bigger (the costume) the better.

“This year we are pulling out all the stops to create a Casual Day that is bigger and better than ever, inviting all local companies, local authorities, schools, clubs and organisations in the area to join in the fun, because Casual Day puts the fun into fundraising,” says Casual Day project leader Celeste Vinassa.

Miss SA Marilyn Ramos has added Casual Day to her portfolio of causes that she will support this year. She is passionate about children, and has spent much of her reign so far advocating and caring for vulnerable children.

By supporting the Casual Day campaign, she is helping to raise awareness of the needs of all persons with disabilities.

“This year we aim to make a big, if not massive, impact with our Go Big campaign – so whether you wear big hair, big glasses, a big tie, big shoes, or just go big on the number of stickers you wear, anything goes, as long as it’s big,” says Celeste, who has listed 10 great reasons to really get into the spirit:

• Casual Day gives communities the chance to come together to raise funds for organisations in your area that render services to people with disabilities.
• It gives you the opportunity to create at fun event at your office that will boost morale and contribute to team building.
• You can step out in the theme of the year, which is Go Big. So let your imagination run wild and see how big you can go.
• Casual Day supports the right of people with disabilities to education, housing, training, accessibility, employment… in other words, full inclusion into society.
• It is fun, entertaining and valuable to society.
• It’s so easy and convenient to participate – all promotional material is supplied free-of-charge.
• Casual Day allows you to make a big difference in the world by getting your community and office colleagues to do a small thing – wear the official Casual Day sticker.
• You can rest assured that funds raised from sticker donations provide material relief to people with disabilities.
• Casual Day demonstrates community spirit in action.
• R10 is a small donation to make, especially when you know it will really make a difference.

The project

Casual Day is a project owned by the National Council of Persons with Physical Disabilities and has been run in partnership with its national beneficiaries, SA National Council for the Blind, Disabled People South (DPSA), SA Federation for Mental Health, Deaf Federation of SA (DeafSA) and Epilepsy SA, for the past 18 years.

Casual Day has invited eight new organisations to join its beneficiary family: Autism South Africa (ASA), Down Syndrome South Africa, The National Association for Persons with Cerebral Palsy (NAPCP), the South African National Deaf Association (SANDA), the National Institute for the Deaf (NID), QuadPara Association of South Africa (QASA), Alzheimer’s South Africa and the South African Disability Alliance (SADA).

To find out how to go big visit the website www.casualday.co.za.