In the heart of winter, cycle enthusiast Johan Oosthuizen from Kariega left Johannesburg on Tuesday, August 1 to complete a five-day long, 1 100km journey to Kariega on his bicycle to raise funds for the refurbishment of the bathrooms at Innes Primary School which are in a dire state.
On Saturday, August 5, at the finish line, Oosthuizen together with local charity organisation, Fuel on Wheels will also be hosting a Mantle Dance at Innes Primary School Hall in Kariega to raise additional funding for the bathroom project.
Oosthuizen who has been cycling for over 20 years, 10 of which have been for various charity initiatives, joined Fuel on Wheels eight years ago.
Through Fuel on Wheels, he said that they regularly hand out food parcels to the underprivileged, and care bags to cancer patients.
Recently, after learning about the dire state of the bathrooms at Innes Primary, the charity organisation hopes to raise R100 000 to revamp the bathrooms.
Johan Oosthuizen said,
To raise the necessary funds, he said that he will be cycling 1 100km from Johannesburg to Kariega with help from the members of Fuel on Wheels which he refers to as his “angels” who are always working behind the scenes while he focuses on his cycling journey.
In addition to his team of “angels”, Oosthuizen said that he will also have traffic officials travelling behind him while he travels through Bloemfontein and when he arrives in the Eastern Cape the Eastern Cape Traffic Department, Relay Ambulance Services and Victory Motorbike will continue the journey with him to Kariega.
He said that last year he cycled 100km a day for 365 consecutive days for various charity initiatives, however, this will be the furthest he has cycled in winter.
Through the “Cycle for Innes” initiative he said that they are hoping people will contribute towards the initiative in various ways.
“People can make monetary donations, but if they would like to, they can donate in various other ways such as offering their building services or donating supplies,” said Oosthuizen.
Thus far he said that they have received sponsorships from JW Auto, UD Stationery, Rotary Club of Uitenhage South, Luister FM, Real Estate Property Services and Die Kraaines.
Oosthuizen said that additional fundraising efforts will include a Mantle Dance evening at Innes Primary School Hall which will start at 18:00.
Tickets cost R50 per couple and R30 per person while children under the age of 13 enter for free.
Tickets can be purchased at the door or by contacting Alma van der Merwe at Innes Primary School on 041 992 3821.
Visitors can bring their own picnic baskets with food and drinks.
For more information on the bathroom project contact Johan Oosthuizen on 062 668 5745.
