Ivungu River Conservancy is challenging local padel players to show off their skills to help the conservancy reach its R10 000 target for an urgent environmental project.
South Coast Padel and the conservancy have joined forces to host a fun charity padel tournament at Douglas Mitchell Sports Club on October 26 at 13:00 for 13:30.
Entries will be limited to 32 players – or 16 two-person teams.
You can book as an individual, as a team or as a group. Entry is R150 per player, which includes the use of a racket and ball.
There will be prizes for the winning team and a chance to claim a valuable padel racket.
Ross McKay, owner of South Coast Padel, has donated the racquet, worth R2 500, which will be auctioned.
McKay and conservancy committee member, Sarah Unsworth, who is coordinating the tournament, see it as more than merely a fundraising event.
“We hope families will come along to support the players and to enjoy a fun-filled, social afternoon watching the newest sport to hit the South Coast. It really will be loads of fun,” said Unsworth.
The conservancy is constantly in need of funds for the maintenance of the river trails, the picnic site, and Saints Walk.
One of the most expensive and important aspects of its work is to keep the trail and shoreline pathway free of troublesome invasive alien plants.
Bill Davis, chairman of the conservancy, said that members will have to fork out quite a bit more than usual because of a devastating fire that swept through Saints Walk a few months ago.
“The fire damaged vegetation, including undergrowth, and this has led to a worrying re-infestation of opportunistic alien invasives that had previously been banished,” he said.
Davis explained that conservancy members will have to act quickly and urgently to ensure this regrowth of troublesome weeds does not get out of hand, but dealing with the problem is going to be an expensive exercise.
The conservancy will do an initial weeding out of the aliens but will have to do follow-up operations and careful monitoring to ensure that they do not raise their ugly little heads again.
To protect Uvongo’s pristine shoreline walk and the conservancy area from alien infestation this year, the conservancy has set itself an ambitious fundraising target of R10 000 – and members are challenging the padel fraternity to help them reach this target.
Boerewors and vegetarian rolls will be on sale – but please pre-order these. Drinks can be obtained from the Douglas Mitchell bar.
To enter the tournament, contact Unsworth on 083 3313866.
HAVE YOUR SAY
Like our Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram
