Round Tablers are going the extra mile

Members of the Benoni-based Round Table Golden East 181 are soon to embark on a six-week journey in a 1970 VW Beetle from Cape Town to Romania in aid of children who need heart surgery.

Chairperson of Golden East 181 Ian Vogt said the Table formed the Boikanyo Foundation some 10 years ago, the core focus of which is to save children’s lives.

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The foundation became involved with the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital (NMCH), in Parktown, last year in order to lower the costs associated with cardiac surgery for children.

Vogt said the aim of their upcoming trip is to raise funds and awareness for the NMCH.

Braving the trip is Morehill resident Alex Staniland and Leigh Michael, from Boksburg, who will travel about 14 500km in the VW bug, crossing three continents and 12 countries, for the annual Round Table International meeting, which this year takes place in Transylvania, Romania, in August.

The Beetle, which is being remodelled and spruced up for the journey, is in the process of being completed and made roadworthy for the international trip with only a few tune-ups left to see to.

Vogt explained that the NMCH performs heart surgery for children, however, procedures for the very same often range from R250 000 and higher.

“The Boikanyo Foundation has a memorandum of agreement with the NMCH for these operations,” Vogt said.

“The hospital provides the theatre and building for free.

“The cardiac surgeons supply their skills at no cost.

“Boikanyo then covers the cost of consumables as well as the post-operative care expenses.

“The cost of heart surgery is anywhere between R250 000 and R300 000 initially.

“The new cost with the reduction in expenses is then around R40 000 to R50 000.”

The aim is to perform 100 surgeries this year with 18 already completed.

“We are selling space on the vehicle to companies and this will assist our members with the running costs they will incur en route,” Vogt explained.

“Along the way they will meet with government officials and those in the health sector in order to raise awareness.

“Finally, in Romania, the bug will be auctioned off to Tablers at the international gathering.”

The aim of auctioning off the bug, he explained, is to create an ongoing cycle of charitable work to be done with the vehicle by other Tablers.

“The idea of driving a bug to Romania came about at my induction as chairperson in February,” Vogt said.

“We were discussing how we would be able to raise more funds for the children and this idea was born.”

Golden East was able to raise R80 000 at the national annual Round Table meeting in Cape Town earlier this year.

The trip

Two members will commence their trip from the Heart of Cape Town Museum on the last weekend of June and travel up to the NMCH, where they will spend some time until mid-July.

On July 12, the duo will make their way to Romania, escorted by a bug convoy to the South African border.

They will then travel through the following countries:

They will travel through the following countries:
• Botswana
• Zambia
• Malawi
• Tanzania
• Kenya
• Ethiopia
• Sudan
• Egypt
• Turkey
• Bulgaria
• Romania

Round Table

Round Table is an international organisation and a brotherhood that aims to serve with a total of 14 branches in Gauteng.

The club only allows men between the ages of 18 and 40.

“Within the organisation you learn business acumen and how to manage yourself professionally in boardroom situations.

“The core focus of our club is charity work in order to uplift the community.”

For more information on this charity initiative or Round Table contact Vogt on 074 130 8316.

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