Optimist parts support request for The Little Optimist
Dear Optimist Parents
Many of you will be familiar with the non-profit organisation called The Little Optimist – a really amazing and worthwhile cause.
The Little Optimist’s story is an inspirational one: In April 2016, Greg Bertish sailed an 8-foot Children’s Optimist dinghy around the Cape of Storms on the Cape Town coast of South Africa. He crossed False Bay, rounded Cape Point and headed for Langebaan Lagoon on the wild West Coast. His 200-kilometre journey matched the 200 days he had spent in hospital at age thirty, fighting life-threatening heart infections caused by a tropical bacterium.
Greg Bertish is a big wave surfer and a South African Champion Lifesaver and Stand Up Paddle Boarder. He is an ambassador for the Children’s Hospital Trust and the National Sea Rescue Institute, and the founder of the Shark Spotter Programme. He has helped raise over R2 million for these charities to date. He has achieved all of this as a multiple heart surgery survivor and patient. He continues to promote conservation, water safety, healthy living and optimism.
The Little Optimist will be hosting The Great Optimist Race at the Cape Town International Boat show on 20 October 2018, at 12 noon at the Waterfront.
Some companies are sponsoring their own Optimist, representing their brand, getting huge exposure and doing so much good for sick and needy kids.
The Little Optimist Trust will be hosting the race, along with other events and a sailing academy over all 3 days of the Boat Show. ( 19,20, 21 October, all day with High visibility)
This is going to be a national show case underneath Table Mountain , and in front of 1000s of spectators, boat owners, celebrities and the public. The race and event will be covered by, and will feature on TV, radio, print and social Media, and a short Documentary movie will be made. Sponsored boats will be raced celebrities, sports stars, CEOs & captains of Industry, past survivors, dads and moms.
Other charity boats will be racing alongside, representing organisations like NSRI, The Children’s Hospital Trust, Cape Town Tourism, Cancer Dojo, Reach for a Dream, and more…..
Most importantly , it will be inspiring many and raising funds and awareness for needy charities and sick kids.
Sponsored and donated Optimist boats will go on to teach sick and needy kids to sail through the Little Optimist Sailing Academy, for many years to come.
There will be 40 plus Optimist boats racing. All skippered by adults, all raising funds and awareness for little sick and needy kids.
The Little Optimist has 20-30 donated boats in various conditions, and their major sponsor, Two Oceans Marine Manufacturing, is kindly revamping and spraying all the hulls and getting the boats together.
What The Little Optimist is looking for, are donations of any Optimist spars, sails, masts, booms, rudders, general parts – and especially buoyancy for the optimists.
And of course, if you know of any optimists that can be donated, that is always much appreciated.
If you can assist in any way with some Optimist parts, please contact Kirsten Veenstra on kirsten@veenstra.co.za or 082 926 393
