Disabled heroes ride again

QUADS, PARAS HIT DIRT ROADS FOR CHARITY

On October 8, 2017, the spectacular 1 000km journey of hundreds of quads and motorcycles comes to a roaring end at Carnival City as part of the 14th annual Quads 4 Quads riding holiday.

This journey, all in aid of QASA (QuadPara Association of South Africa), will see people from all walks of life travelling from Ballito in KwaZulu-Natal on October 4 to Carnival City – in the dirt. Motorcycles, quads, buggies, adventure bikes and side-by-sides will join in the mass migration to raise much-needed funds.

QASA is a nonprofit organisation of quadriplegics and paraplegics with the vision that all quadriplegics and paraplegics live their lives to their full potential. QASA provides products, projects and services, as well as lobby, advocacy and prevention programmes to ensure their vision, mission and goals are achieved.

One of QASA’s main focus areas is skills development and capacity building. With limited access to education and the formal labour market, and in many cases reliant on government’s disability grant of R1 500 per month, quadriplegics and paraplegics are often left with little choice but to be dependent on family members for a home. “It is an honour for us to once again play a role in this fundraiser for such a worthy cause,” says Michelle Smith, marketing manager at Carnival City. This year, the trail is totally different to previous years and riders and their families and friends will see all things offroad, from the rolling hills of KZN to thick indigenous forests, to rocky mountain passes, dams, rivers and beautiful farmlands. Riders will cover about 250km every day. The journey includes reaching out to all the communities they pass on the ride, with soccer, tennis and netballs handed out, as well as vegetable seeds for the many vegetable gardens started by participants on their journeys in previous years along the trail.

Schools in the rural areas along the way are also targeted, receiving donations of pens, pencils, erasers, exercise books and the like. QASA also donates wheelchairs to underprivileged disabled people.

Started by The Adventure Company, run by Glenn Foley and Corinne Andrews, to raise funds and awareness for QASA, Quads 4 Quads has raised over R7 million for QASA. Quads 4 Quads is not a race but a fun, social, mobile family holiday for the betterment of others. Carnival City looks forward to welcoming the riders home on October 8.

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