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Community Business Directory, Event Listings, News and Views from Gqeberha, Nelson Mandela Bay

Fun Runners will be Splashed With Colour

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The third year BA Media, Communication and Culture Public Relations stream students of Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, under the guidance of lecturers Dr Bianca Wright and Ms Brightness Mangolothi, have put together a ‘Here Comes the Sun’ campaign, an initiative to raise funds for a local non-profit organisation, Masifunde Learner Development.

Masifunde Learner Development is currently in the process of constructing an educational centre, Lavel’ilanga in Walmer Township for its youth. Lavel’ilanga means Here Comes the Sun. “With this phrase we, the youth of Walmer Township, express the importance of education in facilitating positive change in today’s society. And just like the sun, the education centre, as well as the education it provides will be available to everybody, not only to the privileged,” said Thabo Mali, one of the members of the Lavel’ilanga Youth Forum that came together to envision the building of the centre in 2009.

The first part of the project takes the form of a Rainbow Run and Festival which will take place on 22 September 2012 at the NMMU RAG Farm, South Campus, NMMU. The event is open to the entire Bay. Registration will open from 09h00 and the race will start at 10h00. The entry fee for participants is R35.00. Children under the age of 7 will unfortunately not be able to participate. All proceeds will go towards the development of the Lavel’ilanga Education Centre.

The route for runners will be directed by marshals. Entrants are encouraged to wear white as they will run through different colour zones where they will be splashed with anti-stainable, environmentally-friendly corn-starch. This is the first event of its kind in Port Elizabeth.

The students’ campaign has ascribed characteristics of the Masifunde Learner Development organisation to each colour of the rainbow, offering the opportunity for the campaign to articulate not only the existing success of the organisation, but to further communicate Masifunde’s potential in creating a brighter future for the local youth with the continued involvement of the community.

A ‘finishing festival’ will be held at the finishing line, with spectators and finishers being prompted to launch colour into the air every 15 minutes. The colour festival will have refreshments for sale, stalls, and activities for the kiddies as well as entertainment.

For more information or to register for the run, contact: Sian Adams at s210114290@live.nmmu.ac.za or 073 550 5164, Kedibone Adams at +27724498757 or Sasha Blignaut +27823884580. You can also follow the campaign on Twitter @Masifunde2012 or like the Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/masifunde.

A second event, a Masifunde Rainbow Spring Tea, is being organised by the students and will take place at the PE MOTH Bowls Club in Walmer on Saturday 6 October from 11h00. The tea offers great food, entertainment and the opportunity to give back to a truly worthy cause. A fashion show and musical performers will keep guests entertained while they enjoy their fabulous tea. Each guest will also take home a goodie bag valued at over R100.

Most exciting of all, though, are the prizes on offer. One of the fundraising initiatives at the event is an American Auction. The American Auction format means that guests hold up notes (R10, R20, R50) while music is played. A runner dashes between the tables collecting all the notes. The last person to have put their note in the bag when the music stops, wins the prize. Masifunde has been fortunate to procure some excellent prizes for the American Auction. Georgiou Hotel and Spa has sponsored a couples stay in their honeymoon suite for 1 night with limo collection, a three course meal at the Cattle Baron steakhouse and breakfast in bed valued at R5500, Massmart has sponsored a 7kg Samsung Deep Foam Washing machine (valued at R3999), Kuzuko Lodge has sponsored a one night stay for two to the value of R3400 and Havilah Jewellers has sponsored two Pandora bracelets and charms to the value of over R1000 each. Veaudry International is also sponsoring three hair irons to the value of R2000 each.

The prizes do not stop there as the team has also secured a number of lucky draw and spot prizes for the event, including back, neck and shoulder massages from Georgiou Spa, Cattle Baron vouchers, beauty hampers for the Beauty Academy International, and vouchers for entry to Monkeyland and Birds of Eden in Plettenburg Bay valued at over R400 each.

The tea costs just R120. Tickets are limited so it is important to book your tickets early. Contact Deneal Dunn on 0789496037 or Sasha Blignaut on sashablignaut@ymail.com or +27823884580 for tickets.

Raffle tickets will also be on sale at both events. For R10, participants stand a chance of winning a DSTV decoder and installation sponsored by Multichoice, a back, neck and shoulder massage courtesy of Georgiou Hotel and Spa or a chocolate hamper brimming with Cadbury products.

Help the third year class of public relations stream students and Masifunde by supporting these worthwhile events. Let’s help them bring on the sun!

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