Philosophies of Passion and Participation - More than Me

We all tend to feel comfortable sorting ideas and concepts into groups or categories - Four main food groups - protein, fat, carbohydrate, and vitamins and minerals (chocolate in its own essential category); Four classical elements of life – water, earth, air and fire; Three types of people - the Good, the Bad and the Ugly.

My life has centred around four essential interests – plants, food, sport and books. I have been delightfully fortunate that my working life has embraced two of these – plants and books. Joining the Participate for Good programme enables me to combine, in a way I would not have thought possible, another two of my passions  - sport and books!

In sport I have enjoyed many activities, with my profile picture showing one of the highlights – The Cape Epic. We finished two of these, in 2007 and 2008, after I withdrew during the 2006 event with an injury. It is the memory of the satisfaction of overcoming the challenges of these events, and the pure pleasure of exploring the South African countryside, that inspired me to enter Joberg2C: 900kms over 9 days, mountain-biking through 4 eco-regions, 3 plant biomes and 7 bioregions. Training for this event is time-consuming and demanding to ensure that I will be up to the challenge when lining up on the start line on 21st April 2017.

Partnering with Joberg2C, the Participate for Good programme encourages me to focus on more than the ride and my experience. Donations through Participate for Good are dedicated to providing libraries to rural communities in South Africa, to share the magical, infinite universe of books. It is a way of giving something back to communities through which we ride, and to provide young and old the opportunity and the independence to find knowledge and inspiration to enhance their lives – as the written word has done for me.

Donations for sporting activities are commonly given after an event and are dependent on the participant completing the event. The Participate for Good Joberg2C library campaign has the ambition to deliver libraries during the race – and, for this reason, we ask for donations leading up to the event.

Donations are easily made through the Participate for Good website.

http://www.participateforgood.com/projects/audrey-gerber

(approximate conversions for my friends around the globe are:
ZAR100 = £6 = AUD9 = USD7 = €6 =NZD10)

You will receive an email acknowledging your donation, and you should receive an automatic "thank you" message from me.

Each library we deliver is constructed from an old shipping container (12 meter) that we purchase and revamp with all windows, doors, carpets, lights, electricity and insulation as well as painting with Sponsored logos. The libraries are then stocked with over 1000 books and delivered as fully functional units to a disadvantaged school identified by the Department of Education in conjunction with Soul Buddies, a 165 000 strong kids organisation who help us identify the schools.

The libraries vary in price due to location and transport costs, but an average unit will cost almost R195,000 when delivered with a kids bangle and Celebrity campaign for additional messaging.

For more information

Participate for Good http://www.participateforgood.com/library-project

Joberg2C http://joberg2c.co.za/

Donations