FROM THE MD’S DESK
From the MD’s desk
By Sandy Kelly
With the Time Adventure Challenge taking
place on 8 July, Sandy Kelly shares the story
behind this annual charity event and explains why
Time Projects has made it their flagship event.
Some years back the running and cycling community, led by Grant
Buckmaster, organised an adventure race event from the Yacht Club
which was sponsored by Nando’s. The event consisted of a canoe race
on the Gabs Dam, a running leg over Kgale Hill and two mountain bike
legs, finishing with a rock scramble below the Yacht Club clubhouse.
It was great fun for corporates, families and individuals alike, but fell
away mostly due to a lack of sponsorship, but also the challenge for
many of canoeing.
In recent years, people generally have become more health and fitness
conscious. At Time Projects, we have always been that way inclined,
participating in many sporting activities. Over the years we have
sponsored many sporting events including marathon runners, Tiyapo
Maso, who led the 2000 Olympic Marathon in Sydney for 25kms,
together with Glody Dube of 800m fame, putting Botswana firmly in the
eyes of the world as real challengers. More recently the efforts of Isaac
Mokwala, Nigel Amos and our 400m relay team have really made the
world sit up and take note of our small nation.
What these achievements have done is to inspire our youngsters to do
the same. To find something that they know will make them feel better
and achieve something in addition to their schoolwork and family life. In
the workplace, we are all conscious of the healthy body, healthy mind.
Most businesses sponsor charities in varying degrees - or rather should
do in terms of their corporate social responsibility. Here at Time Projects,
we are proponents of that, but more so, we do it because we want to,
not because we feel obligated.
A few years ago we decided that instead of giving Christmas gifts to
our clients or handing over a few cheques to charities, we would involve
our business “family” circle of clients and associates in an initiative to
have some fun, whilst achieving the end goals of making our donation
ABOUT TIME, the quarterly
newsletter of Time Projects
Editor: Brett Marlin
through an event that every participant feels part of. And the end
product is something that identifies with what we are trying to achieve.
And so, four years ago, we decided to re-enact a running/biking event
by way of organising the Time Adventure Challenge. We joint ventured
with Mokolodi Nature Reserve as this gives the participants more
than just their daily jog or ride but allows them to enjoy the wonderful
experience of trail running and mountain biking in the nature reserve on
single game tracks in the company of wildlife. It consists of four legs: a
10km trail run, two 15km mountain biking legs and a 5km trail run.
Time Projects sponsors all the costs of running the event, including
a donation to Mokolodi. All the participants’ entry fees are used for
the charitable cause. That way, together with our friends, clients and
associates, we contribute collectively towards social responsibility.
Over the last few years, we have raised over P350 000 from the Time
Adventure Challenge which has been ploughed back into community
projects. These include a contribution, together with business associates,
to the “Futsal” court in Kofifi, Bontleng and two outdoor gym parks, one
at Kgale View and the other at Segoditshane Way. This year we plan
to do something similar. That way, our initiative can be transferred to the
youth and adults in the less privileged communities to join the healthy
body, healthy mind regime.
We trust that you will get your companies, families and friends together
to participate in this fun event which you can feel good about because
you are contributing to a very worthwhile cause. Supporters can also
enjoy the wonderful spirit of the “race village”– get your company
gazebo set up and challenge your industry and/or family competitors!
See you there for a run, ride, boerie roll and a few beers.
Managing editor: Faye-Marie Cloete
Email: [email protected]
Cell: +267 7137 6232
Contributors: Turnie Morolong, Brett Marlin,
Michael Hughes, Heinrich Malan,
Roy Mapharing and Chabo Mibikiwa
Tel: +267 395 6080 | Fax: +267 390 0160 | Email: [email protected] | Website: www.time.co.bw
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ABOUT TIME is published on behalf of Time Projects by Nova Communications (Pty) Ltd.
The opinions expressed in this newsletter are those of the authors and people interviewed and do not necessarily reflect the views of the editor, publisher or Time Projects. While all
precautions have been taken to ensure accuracy of information, the editors and publisher cannot accept responsibility for any inaccuracies which may inadvertently have occurred.
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ISSUE 34 - JUNE 2018