Going the extra 16 mile for charity
FERNDALE – Kelvin Steyn has been swimming the Midmar Mile for about five years and has managed to raise R97 000 for charities.
The beautiful thing about acts of kindness is they cost you nothing, yet its rewards are so far-reaching they make you wonder why more people of our community don’t do more of them.
While the rest of us carry on with our daily routines in hopes of self-fulfilment, community members such as Kelvin Steyn work to make sure their talents are geared at changing lives and affecting the world positively.
Come 9 and 10 February next year, Steyn will take part in the annual Midmar 16 Mile in Howick, KwaZulu-Natal in hope to yet again raise funds for not one but seven charities.
As part of the Midmar 16-mile swimmers, he has pledged to raise a minimum of R20 000 but would love to go way past that mark.
At least 60 per cent of funds raised will go to the Duzi Umngeni Conservation Trust.
Styen said the Trust played a huge role in looking after the Duzi river as well as the communities along it.
The balance of the funds will go to animal shelters including the SPCA, South African Guide-Dogs Association for the Blind, Cancer Association of South Africa, KZN Society for the Blind and various children’s homes.
Steyn has been swimming since he was about eight years old and said he had a love for the sport as it sets him free.
“It is the closest I will come to flying and I love doing anything that involves water,” he said, adding it was a great sport to maintain fitness and had the least impact on the joints of the body.
Another aspect to the sport is his love for the people he swims with.
“Even though we compete, the swimming community is tight and feels like a family.”
He became involved in open water swimming in 2014 when he did his first Midmar 8 Mile charity swim.
Now, every year he has completed a Midmar charity swim and has managed to raise an incredible R97 000 for charity.
Besides the Midmar, Steyn has participated in two Freedom Swims , two 24-hour swims for charities and the Ocean Challenge to name a few.
The charitable swimmer said the biggest challenge with the Midmar 16 Mile was learning how to pace yourself and ensuring that you get to the other side in time before the next mile begins.
“That is why I train seven days a week to average 4km of swimming a day.” .
Should you want to get involved with Steyn’s efforts, you can purchase a raffle ticket for R50 and stand a chance to win:
- One night stay for eight people at the Fairway Hotel and Spa
- Two tickets to see Ed Sheeran
- Finis underwater mp3 player
- Zone3 swim bag
- Garmin goodie hamper
- A wine and whisky hamper
- A sweet and biltong hamper
For more information contact Kelvin Steyn on kelvin.steyn@gmail.com or 082 8200 039.
