Mustangs roar for youths

This goes to show it's never too late to have your dreams fulfilled.

October 23, 2019

Conor Craigie 2 minutes read

A sea of smiling faces from the Steven’s Ability Centre accompanied by a few of the event organisers and Mustang Club members.

Members of the Steven’s Ability Centre spent a dream-fulfilling day at the Brakpan Airfield on Sunday.

The young adults, who suffer from developmental disabilities, were assisted by the renowned Mustang Owners Club in creating a day of cake, cars and sunshine.

The atmosphere of the event was electric with over 100 people milling about, staring in awe at one of the most revered muscle cars in motoring history – the Ford Mustang.

The cars, which ranged from the iconic 1969 Mustang Sting to the enigmatic Mustang S550, took the excited kids out onto the runway for a blast of squealing tyres and purring pistons.

The beaming faces as the cars returned made the event an immediate success in its own right.

Lead organisers Kevin Cloete (left, airfield manager), John Wheadon (Mustang Club), Ana Luis (event coordinator) and Jorge Simoes (event innovator) celebrating the day’s success.

To add to this success, Vanessa Dos Santos, founder of the Steven’s Ability Centre, was able to raise much-needed funds from the various stalls dotted about the pavilion.

These funds will be used to continue running the charity so the children can enjoy learning in a safe and comfortable environment which caters to their specific needs.

The organisation was started by Vanessa four years ago when she realised her son, Steven Dos Santos, who suffers from a developmental disability, was not getting the care and attention he needed in standard schooling systems.

Thus, with great dedication and commitment she started the Steven’s Ability Centre in Bedfordview, affectionately named after her son.

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Co-organiser John Wheadon alongside his enigmatic Mustang S550.

Since then, 13 children and young adults have joined her with a further three attending part-time.

The centre also sponsors four children, making the foundation a great success and a much-needed addition to the community.

Not all the members of the Steven’s Ability Centre were able to attend the event, however, all the attendees had a wonderful time saying their “dreams have come true”.

More photos: Mustang Owners Club makes dreams come true

This feeling was shared by 84-year-old Awre Hattingh, who, after a lifetime of waiting, was finally able to ride in a Mustang.

This particular 69 Mustang Sting is owned by Mustang Club founder Tony Chavoos who stated that “my Mustang has always been my passion and now I get to share that passion with others”.

This goes to show it’s never too late to have your dreams fulfilled.