Olympic Size Dreams

Can you believe we’re nearly three months into 2008? It’s a leap year, Chinese year of the Rat and, probably most significantly, an Olympic year. But here’s something I bet you didn’t know…

South Africa is not sending a gymnastics team to China for the Olympics!

WHY?

It has nothing to do with load-shedding. The simple fact is that we don’t have a team good enough.

WHY?

Because our young gymnasts may have the talent and excellent trainers at grassroots level, but it takes around seven years for a gymnast to get to competition level. And they just don’t get international exposure necessary to check out the caliber of gymnasts they’re competing against… and up their game.

BUT this year, one small development team of 10 girls from Tshwane have been given an awesome opportunity to compete against their peers this July in Los Angeles, California.

The only challenge is – and it’s a biggie – to get them to the USA, the team needs to raise R500 000 (which, for kids aged between 13 and 19, seems an impossible task). The club’s parents have done what they can, but now we need sponsorship ‘angels’… and that’s where you come in…

HOW SPONSORSHIP ‘ANGELS’ CAN HELP:

All our sponsorship ‘angels’ will get great local and international exposure for their product, company or service.

1 SPONSOR IT ALL Obviously having one giant sponsor would be the ideal solution, but because half a million rand is a big ask, we realise that bite-sized chunks may be more appropriate…

2 SPONSOR A GYMNAST Each individual girl needs R50 000 to cover costs.

3 DONATE MONEY (from R5 000 upwards) towards the team’s travel trust. Every little bit helps!

4 ITEM SPONSOR the team’s competition kit; accommodation costs (approved special rate from the Hyatt Group); travel costs (excluding airfares and visas) etc.

5 DONATE PRODUCT we can raffle/auction off to help raise funds.

If you need more information on the club or team, the items they require, or to discuss what return on investment you will get, please contact Amanda Killick on 082 852 5722 or e-mail amanda.killick@gmail.com or Frith Wesley on 083 466 7386 or e-mail wesley.private@absamail.com