1000 Kays of Caring—a big run for a bigger cause—has made inspiring headway on their mission to support a charity serving disadvantaged people in Grabouw!
Western Cape, South Africa (21 August 2024) — Earlier this year, we shared that David Case and other runners were preparing for 1000 Kays of Caring—an ambitious charity run that would see 21 days become a stretch of hope for people in need in Grabouw.
An update has come baring good news—1000 Kays is well underway and 558kms have already been tackled!
Beginning on 10 August from Drie Hoek Koppie (the exact spot where the Northern, Eastern and Western Cape meet) the run has welcomed a wealth of backing from onlookers, runners and support team members alike.
The premise of the run is to tackle a segment of the ultimate kilometre count (1000kms) a day. Not a relay, there are three permanent runners who are showing up consistently; husband and wife David and Sandra Case and Emmanuel Makhafola. Just as important to the initiative’s goal are the pillars of support, a crew consisting of Brenda Silberbauer and the Millers, John and Rona.
Together, these incredible humans are tackling a route that traverses from the Karoo to the Garden Route, into the Klein Karoo and out into the Hessequa before finally reaching Overberg.
The Heart of the 1000km Run: Siphila Sonke
All of these efforts are to support charity Siphila Sonke—a place that for over 20 years has provided vulnerable adults and children in Grabouw—who are too ill to earn a living and aren’t receiving appropriate government grants—with a monthly, healthy food parcel and soup.
Beyond this, Siphila Sonke also regularly visits their beneficiaries in their homes to assist them physically, emotionally and spiritually on top of helping them register for their government grants.
Then, there is their Kids Club where every afternoon, over 100 children between the ages of 6 and 13 get to enjoy nourishment as well as academic and creative support. They are given the space to simply be kids and have fun; able to access resources like the computer room and the School in a Box project with its 25 tablets as well as a light snack, daily.
With all of these heartwarming endeavours in mind, it’s easy to understand the drive behind 1000 Kays of Caring.
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However, David and his team share that the ambition of the big run is twofold: the first is to raise funds for the underfunded aspects of Siphila Sonke like the food parcels (there are 60 a month) and to raise awareness about the charity giving Grabouw hope and its challenges.
Challenges pertain to support for Siphila Sonke who are reliant on donations and the assistance of Government structures—some of which are placing pressure on the very organisations that rely on them for funding.
While donations may be the bread and butter here, a long term relationship between the charity and the corporate world is also a big hope the runners aim to inspire.
How to be a Part of the Momentum
The adventure and its updates are being shared on social media, while donations can be made via 1000 Kays of Caring’s website.
Those looking to get in touch to help in even bigger ways or to join as a runner can reach out to the team here, and you can find out more about the heart of the run, here.
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