The Border Icons in Sport (BIS) aspires to give back and improve the quality of life of disadvantaged communities in the Border area.
As such, on Saturday October 29, BIS will be hosting a gala event at the Summit Lifestyle Centre in East London to honour local sporting icons from the past and present.
Garth van Heerden, the NPO’s spokesperson, has already made inroads in organising school sports, contributions to struggling rugby clubs as well as individual sportspeople from the region.
With the help of the Pretoria-based Institute of Sport (IOS), BIS has also facilitated clubs and schools with capacity-building accredited courses for 25 sports administrators. The next group of administrators are preparing for their round of training, which is scheduled to take place soon.
Athletes who will be honoured at the gala event are local heroes such as Bianca Woods from Parkside East London, and Neil Jackson from Komani, who both represented SA at the Commonwealth Games last month.
Also to be honoured are Qonce brothers Jaydon and Jordan Hendrickse, together with Lukhanya Am and Makozola Mapimpi, and many more.
Some of the community builders of yesteryear will also be honoured. The theme of the gala event is premised on reviving the spirit of sport, and BIS has plans to further this goal over a three-year period.
The gala dinner will be co-hosted by Meryl Szolkiewics, from Survivor SA fame, who grew up in Buffalo Flats, with roots also in Komani and Qonce.
She will be joined by sportsman Kevin Bennett, who is now based in Johannesburg but who also hails from Buffalo Flats.
The guest speaker for the evening will be John O’Connor, who is originally from Schorneville in Qonce, and is now a very successful social entrepreneur in Pretoria.
Funding is a major challenge for the NPO, as well as photos and memorabilia, and it is appealing for assistance in this regard. The NPO will be hosting a fundraising Golf Day at the West Bank Golf Club on October 7.
For further information or support, contact Pat Goosen on 079-3187-728 or email:pat.goosen@gmail.com or contact the administrator, Deon Muller, on 079-608-9192 or email: mujosports1@gmail.com.
For any matters concerning the gala event, contact Geoff Gamiet on 0721428-548 or email: bordericons2022 @gmail.com.
