SPAR Women’s Challenge – Message from the MD
What a privilege – and relief – it is to welcome all of you to the SPAR Women’s Challenge as it was meant to be – a real-life event brimming with smiles.
As much as we enjoyed bringing you a virtual run during the pandemic, there is nothing quite like the sight and sounds of thousands of participants and their running shoes hitting the tarmac.
Some faster than others but with the same purpose – celebrating friends, family and life while paying it forward.
This year’s 10 and 5km races have something very special in common with SPAR. Both are celebrating their 30th birthdays in the Eastern Cape.
An incredible journey which I, for one, am proud to have played a small part in.
At SPAR we believe community spirit is vital to building a healthy and prosperous society and nowhere is this more apparent than at the country’s most beautiful race.
The camaraderie and kindness among participants and supporters are unrivalled, showing what is possible when we do something in the name of togetherness.
Where our individual impact is
often a mere ripple in the river, we can genuinely move mountains together. A section of our society is facing the insurmountable mountain of autism and we – with you – will be their Sherpas.
Proceeds from this event will go to Autism Eastern Cape and the Umphanda Foundation for Autism, both of which play a critical role in creating awareness of the disorder while rolling out programmes that help families to cope.
Our involvement dovetails with our 2023 theme, #4Smiles. Aligning ourselves with those who improve the lives of others speaks to the core of this promise.
We are also thankful to Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality for giving us its full backing. The Women’s Challenge is proof that we are better together and this means we can climb so many more mountains alongside those who most need our help.
While we provide the infrastructure and funding, there is no event without the support of our runners. Making this race a reality after some dark times calls for a special thank you.
We hope you have an amazing day out with friends and family and go home with memories that will last a lifetime.
Here’s to the next 30 years together.