Comrades runners help Hillcrest AIDS Centre Trust raise over R1m
The local non-profit organisation will use the funds raised to provide life-saving care, support and education to orphaned and vulnerable children in the Valley of 1000 Hills.
STAFF and beneficiaries of the Hillcrest AIDS Centre Trust (HACT) celebrated when they learnt that their 2019 Comrades runners succeeded in raising more than R1 million for the #DoingIt4TheKids campaign.
The HACT team were presented with a cheque for R1 112 210 by the Comrades Marathon Association’s chairman, Cheryl Winn, at the official Comrades Charities Handover event at the Comrades House in Pietermaritzburg.
HACT’s CEO, Candace Davidson, thanked the organisation’s 2019 team of runners who consisted of 91 local and international runners and for the funds raised in the lead up to this year’s gruelling 87km race.
Candace also made special mention of their team’s ambassador and well-known local runner, Dean Wight, who this year, raised a whopping R352 060 for the local charity. This made him both HACT’s and the Comrades top fund-raiser for the second year in a row.
“We are just so grateful to all our runners this year for their hard work and determination in helping us raise much-needed funds for our charity’s ongoing work. This year’s theme of “Sizonqoba – together we triumph” could not have been more fitting as so many runners rallied behind our campaign to ensure its success.
The Comrades up run is a notoriously difficult race and it was great to hear so many of our runners tell us that running for our children helped to spur them on over the finish line.”
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The funds raised for HACT’s #DoingIt4TheKids campaign will be used during the next 12 months to provide life-saving care, support and education to orphaned and vulnerable children living in the Valley of 1000 Hills.
Already setting their sights on next year’s race, HACT’s marketing and fund-raising manager, Claire Hodgkinson, said the 2020 Comrades campaign will launch in October this year. It is set to be an extra special one as the NPO will also celebrate its 30th anniversary next year.
“Our runners have all become valued members of the HACT family. We hope to keep the momentum going and recruit more than 100 runners to run for HACT next year,” said Claire.
To join HACT’s 2020 Comrades campaign, contact Claire Hodgkinson on 031 765 5866 or email fundraising@hillaids.org.za.
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