"Let's keep moving for Maties!" This is the message from Prof Wim de Villiers, Rector and Vice-chancellor of Stellenbosch University (SU), as he once again prepares to take on the Cape Town Cycle Tour (CTCT) to raise money for the student-led #Move4Food campaign.
The #Move4Food campaign kicked off in August 2018 with an ambitious target of R10 million rand. The aim is to build food banks and end student hunger on SU's campuses.
To date over R1 million in donations and goods have been raised, with the campaign end date set for 19 April 2019.
Since the campaign launch, a number of students, staff, alumni and friends of the University have supported #Move4Food in various ways. "We are so grateful to everyone who has decided to #Move4Food and we urge others to take up the challenge to help our students reach their target," said Karen Bruns, Senior Director of Development and Alumni Relations at SU.
Prof De Villiers showed his support by running the full Sanlam Cape Town Marathon of 42.2km in September last year, raising more than R152 000. He was one of 110 staff members, alumni, students and friends of the University who registered for various races hosted by the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon as part of the #Move4Food campaign.
“It is just so heartening to see the passion and enthusiasm of our staff, students and alumni to drive student success at SU," De Villiers said.
While some ran the marathon, others raised money and supported the campaign in their own way. Alumnus, Folkers Tullki-Williams, based in Helsinki, hiked the 375km across Estonia to raise R10 000 for #Move4Food, while staff member, Desmond Thompson, tackled the Coast2Karoo Cycle Race.
Divisions within the University collected food items and even hosted a Zumbathon session.
Students staged an awareness-raising 24-hour spin-a-thon on stationary bikes in the Neelsie, cycling over 8 000 kilometres throughout the day and night, with music, energy and passion. This event drew attention to a huge lunchbox created by Engineers Without Borders Maties, a student society made up of 2nd and 3rd year engineering students.
A total of 15 095 items of non-perishable food were deposited into the lunchbox over 24 hours - exceeding the target of 15 000 food items. A major contribution of 10 800 meals delivered by the PPS Foundation helped to further boost the collection, along with a significant contribution of products by the Spar franchise in the Neelsie.
In December 2018, a team of students from the medical campus crossed borders with an ambitious 902km cycle from Vioolsdrift at the Namibian border to South Africa's border at Cape Agulhus as part of #Move4Food.The group, Breda Reed, Mias Marais, Luke Titus, Christoff Greyling and Wonderboy Nkosi, managed to raise over R57 000. You can still support them by donating here: https://www.givengain.com/a/hippocampusfund/.
"We've come a long way – but there is still a long way to go. Help our students reach their finish line and support our #Move4Food campaign," Prof De Villiers added.
Watch this space for more upcoming #Move4Food events in the next two months or contact Candice Egan at eganc@sun.ac.za if you want to get involved.
