Are your hiking boots and sun hat on? We taking a hike with Wendy Carstens
The Melville Koppies volunteer lets us on who she is and how nature is just a beautiful extension of who she is.
This local has managed to conquer four Comrades Marathons, competed in Iron Man twice and has swum the Midmar Mile.
Who is this powerhouse force? Well, to one man she is a loving wife, to three she is mom, and to five, a doting grandmother. To the collective, however, she goes by the title of chairperson of Friends of Melville Koppies, Wendy Carstens.
With her hiking boots and sun hat on, Carstens can often be found not only educating the many who visit the Koppies on its many offerings, but also taking them on guided tours. Though the Melville Koppies is her full-time passion and hobby, you can still find her either reading a book or gardening.
Outside of her previously competing in high-endurance sports, something else she sees as courageous, was her quick foray, as she put it, in politics pre-1994. “We had spent three years in the UK. On returning, I was dismayed at the slow progress to democracy we were making. I volunteered to stand as a candidate in a ‘no-hope seat’ just to fly the flag and encourage voters to prepare for the changes in a peaceable democratic way. Back in those days canvassing meant physically visiting the voters.”
Carstens reckons she has been fortunate that changes in life have not been challenges as such, but interesting new stimulating vistas which she has been able to cope with. She married rather young, and had her daughters by the time she was 22 years old. “With strong support from my husband David, I studied at Unisa and began my teaching career when I was 30 and took early retirement at 51 years old.”
She then moved to Melville and here she discovered the koppies and finds herself still happily ‘teaching’ as it were. “It is very rewarding tying up with what children learn in the classroom to what they meet on the koppies,” she said.
This nature-loving local’s goal is to continue with the work she is doing and stay as healthy as possible. Her work at the koppies sees her meet new people with whom she could share her love of nature. What she appreciates about her community is their resilience along with their readiness to always greet others with a smile.
She hopes her impact within her community is one that showing people they can all make a difference. “Don’t expect ‘them’ to do things that you could do with a little effort. Perhaps volunteer for something that you care about. You might have to learn some new skills but this will help your ‘cause’ and help your self esteem as the same time. But if you do volunteer for something, please be reliable.”
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