KLOOF resident, Grant Cummings recently participated in the Comrades Marathon Centenary Hope Challenge virtual event and raised R367 469 for Wildtrust.
Cummings is passionate about assisting charity organisations and has been running since the age of around three.
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The avid runner said he just enjoys the freedom that running brings with it, and the cross section of people that it introduces you to.
“My love of running came from my grandfather, and has been encouraged by my family over the years. Having decided to run Comrades for the first time 12 years ago, my wife encouraged me to do so for charity, it struck a chord, and I’ve been doing it ever since,” he said.
Being a compassionate man, he has also raised money for The Sunflower Fund, Hillcrest Aids Centre Trust, the Lamontville Home for the Aged, the Jes Foord Foundation, and for a young girl to raise money for specialist medical care that she required.
When asked how he choose which charity to donate to, Cummings said he does not actively look for one, instead its simply coming across charities or a cause that he feels an affinity towards.
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“The charity organisations are run by passionate people, who go above and beyond to help others. It is important that the funds raised go primarily towards the beneficiaries themselves, rather than towards admin or running costs, and it helps if the organisation is a registered non-profit or public benefit organisation.
“This helps to ensure that the money is properly handled and that there is accountability. The Wildtrust ticked all of those boxes, and the ability to run for community and conservation this year was hugely satisfying,” he said.
The restrictions, brought with it, its challenges but the passionate giver said he has found that South Africans are hugely generous people.
“With the busy world in which we live, where there are so many different things vying for our attention, I’m just required to remind them of their generous side from time to time,” said Cummings who has a deep passion for fundraising.
He said he ran 10 Comrades Marathons, and between 40 and 50 marathons.
The seasoned Comrades runner had set out to raise R430 850, which also happens to be his Green Number (43085) plus a zero.
Thankful for support
“This target seemed insurmountable, but I am truly grateful to my sponsors and supporters, for helping me raise more during this campaign then during any other campaign in which I’ve been involved. None of this achievement would have been possible without them and my number one supporter, my wife, Tenley Cummings.
“We are already planning for 2022, and we hope that the pandemic will not prevent us from making the journey from Pietermaritzburg to Durban, again. Huge thanks to Wildtrust for all that they do for our communities, as well as the conservation of our lands and seas,” comments Grant Cummings.
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Buyi Makhoba-Dlamini of Wildlands said they were grateful to Cummings for choosing the Wild Trust.
“This is the first time we have ever had one individual raise over 90% of the funds on his own. In these very uncertain financial times, we would like to thank Grant from the bottom of our hearts for truly inspiring a sense of hope for our projects. Grant upheld the Comrades theme of Ithemba – Hope. We would like to thank all his supporters as well as all the other individuals who have helped us reach almost 50% of our set target. You are all our Comrades heroes,” said Makhoba-Dlamini.
Wildtrust (registered as the Wildlands Conservation Trust is a South African non-profit, non-government and public welfare organisation, established in 2004 through the merger of two regional Trusts.
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