Charity Challenge goes virtual

THE annual Cableway Charity Challenge is going virtual, and aims to raise R1million in funding to assist a number of charitable organisations.

As many as 137 athletes are already participating in the nine-day challenge that began on April 10.

The challenge urges locals in Cape Town to support and sponsor participants to do as many laps as possible up Platteklip Gorge, summiting Table Mountain and descending from the top using the cable car. To track their progress, participants are able to record their laps on the free-to-use mobile app, Strava.

The organisations that will benefit from this fund-raiser include Wilderness Search and Rescue, Ons Plek (a child and youth care centre), Home from Home (an NPO which provides community-based foster homes in the Western Cape) and the Cape Town Environmental Education Trust.

Tanya Townsend from Home From Home, already a trail runner, said before the pandemic, the Challenge ran for one day from sunrise to sunset and the goal was to see how many times participants could complete the trail. Now, it had changed into a nineday event, allowing ample time to adhere to Covid-19 protocols.

Wahida Parker, MD of the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Company, said the Table Mountain Cableway Charity Challenge was a perfect example of how people could connect with each other at virtual and hybrid events in a socially distanced manner.

“The initiative is a testimony of individual endurance and the power of collaboration. The event has made a significant impact in the lives of those less fortunate,” said Parker.

Treasurer at the JDI Foundation Trust and official organiser of the race, Tracy Le Roux said they had managed to raise R87500 so far – a testament to the enthusiasm of the participants.

“The camaraderie shown over the past few days has been overwhelming. The support has been incredible and we cannot be more grateful,” Le Roux said.