4th Annual Sports and Recreation Event

Ayabonga Bonga blowing bubbles

24 September 2014, Stellenbosch Sports Science Department. On a public holiday you might be tempted to think that the Sports Science department might be a quiet place due to the fact that the lecturers and students are taking a break.  Well, that was definitely not the case on Heritage Day, 24^th September 2014 when Bridging Abilities, along with their partners, Fanie van der Merwe from Inspire2Become, Adapt2Move and the Sports Science dept, hosted a sports and recreation day for children with disabilities.

The quiet halls of the department soon came alive and erupted into a hive of excitement as children were bussed in by various schools, such as Astra School, Athlone School for the blind, Bizweni Centre, Tembaletu School, Paarl School, and Vista Nova School.  About 117 children, who had disabilities such as amputations, Cerebral Palsy, congenital abnormalities, Spina Bifida, visual impairments amongst others, were divided into four groups and had 40 minute sessions at each of the four stations. Great enthusiasm and joy could be found at each activity as you roamed the venue. Along the sidelines you found proud parents and teachers hold cameras and other electronic devices each serving one purpose: capturing the laughter, movement and enjoyment of the kids.

 

A few action shots taken by Jaiden Kai Photography

 After the fun morning, everyone gathered together to enjoy a wonderful braai prepared by Braaiworld in the spirit of National Braai day.  Bridging would like to thank all our partners and volunteers for making our biggest event yet possible, and Tsitsikamma Crystal for sponsoring 144 bottles of water for the event. We would also like to express a special thanks to all the 3^rd year sport science students, Kinderkinetics students who ran the activities so smoothly and with so much energy, care and joy. 

Three of our sponsors/partners for the day

 Some of the comments received via email or on our Facebook page after the event were:

• We are so very grateful to the amazing team at Bridging Abilities for the incredible work they did with our children on Heritage day. Our children loved there time! Thank you! ~ Bizweni Centre for disabled children
• The day was such an enormous blessing for our children and even for our teachers who came away rejuvenated.  They loved the experience.  We will (tentatively) definitely be there for both events.  Philippa, Bizweni Centre for Disabled Children
• It was such a great opportunity and a privilege to capture these special memories for Bridging Abilities. Lots of fun to watch all these participants enjoy an awesome day of sport and recreation. Thank you Bridging Abilities for inviting J'Kai Photography to be part of this day. ~ Sharon Bridggs, Photographer
• Lia and her friends at another awesome sports day. Thank you Bridging Abilities
  

 — with Bridging Abilities and Aslam Khan. ~ Fiona Khan

• Thank you for the lovely day! ~ Colleen Francis, Tembalethu School

 

Some group shots, including a photo of Paralympian Fanie van der Merwe coaching

 a group.

Our next event will be a fundraising brunch on the 18^th October at Wild Clover Farm. Please support our brunch so that we can keep hosting these events and putting smiles on these special faces!  The tickets are R200 each with lovely eats, wonderful prizes such as an overnight stay in one of the 5 star McGrath Collection Hotels (with breakfast included), A Delaire Spa voucher and some great wines. Please email info@bridgingabilities.co.za to acquire your tickets.

Bridging Abilities is a registered NPO.

Sport Fun & Recreation Day 15^th March 2014

Groups playing the Icebreaker

On the 15^th March Bridging Abilities hosted a sport and recreation day at the Stellenbosch University’s Sport Science Department. This was the first time that we hosted an event so early in the year and it was a great success. After a few tense moments as we waited for the schools to arrive as they were late, the registration area became a hive of activity. As each child was registered he/she received his/her bottle of water before entering one of the halls that the sport science students had so wonderfully prepared. After a quick welcome from Candace Vermaak, the learners were split into 3 groups for the playing of the icebreaker.

A fun and noisy icebreaker was played which set the tone for the rest of the morning. Afterwards, the groups

The first hall

were taken to the different halls for the first sessions of the morning and throughout the morning the groups were rotated between the three different halls, every 40 minutes, until all the groups had had a chance to be at every station. The games were very well planned, set up, and executed by the sports science students. The smiles and laughter of the children and parents were infectious when you entered a particular hall, so much so that learners who expressed the desire to remain spectators soon became participants.

Due to the event being so early in the year, we decided to keep the event small. We had 31 children attend the day from schools such as Vista Nova, Tembaletu, Alta du Toit and Jan Kriel. The disabilities of the learners ranged from Cerebral Palsy to Spina Bifda and other congenital disabilities. We were very excited to have parents and siblings join us for the event. After the event each learner and volunteer received a lunch pack that consisted of a hamburger, a fruit and a juice.

Some happy faces

 We would like to thank our sponsors as well as the University of Stellenbosch’s Sport Science Department for being involved in this event. We also would like to thank the students of the Sports Science Department who participated in the event. They were very well prepared and implemented with a lot of enthusiasm and energy which resulted in the learners really enjoying themselves.

Our volunteers: the Sport Science Students

Our next Sports & Recreation event will be hosted on the 24^th of September 2014. Please email info@bridgingabilities.co.za for more information.