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MOTORING NEWS - Saturday morning, 7 November, before the crack of dawn, 37 off-road 4x4-loving men gathered in George before setting off for a Baviaanskloof adventure of note. Fuelled with muffins and coffee, our group headed for the great outdoors in high spirits. This 4x4 challenge was not just for fun, but every cent made through the event went to the children at Life Community Services in George.
The charity drive - literally speaking - is the brain child of Sean Evans who has envisaged it for a number of years before pulling it off in November. Everything was in place for March 2020, but the Covid-19 epidemic and lockdown placed it on the back burner.
The problem was that during lockdown, the need of the children dependent on Life was at its greatest. When lockdown Level 1 eventually kicked in, Sean gave wings to his dreams. In a very short time and with the aid of many miracles, the 4x4 charity drive became a reality.
The vehicles snaking their way down the beautiful kloof.
Men from the Southern Cape quickly signed up for the adventure, longing to get out into the wilderness. The trip started with a prayer and high spirits. The usual banter about which vehicles would make it and which would have to be towed out of the sand was the order of the day.
Our first stop was a police station in Baviaanskloof where we delivered food for the community, followed by lunch next to the road at the entrance to the Baviaanskloof Nature Reserve, just before the more technically challenging road started.
A sparkling river was a welcome sight and some of us cooled off before hitting the road.
Some men cooling down in the river.
After a long day's drive and a few passes with some of the most breathtaking views in the world, we arrived at our overnight destination of Kudu Kaya that generously sponsored our overnight stay. Here at Kudu Kaya is one of the biggest orange farms I've ever seen.
That evening the men gathered around a fire talking about the day, laughing, and sharing opinions about which vehicles handled the road the best, and suggesting tongue in cheek which ones should rather have stayed at home.
Food aplenty ensured no one went to bed feeling peckish.
Early the next morning, before sunrise, we set off. With vehicles refuelled, we couldn't wait to tackle the demanding road ahead. After negotiating the rugged terrain successfully, we had lunch on a farm - hungrily devouring the best and biggest hamburgers prepared on a fire.
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After some target shooting and a prize-giving, we reluctantly headed back home.
Pastoral and funding coordinator of Life Community Services, David May, said it was an absolute pleasure to experience the beauty of South Africa, meet men who share a similar passion, and see what the different vehicles are capable of - all while making a positive difference.
The funds raised has enabled Life to purchase 50 new desks and chairs for two new classrooms at Life Christian Academy based in Conville, George. Life runs a primary school that provides education to 175 learners from Grades 1 to 4. In 2021 a Grade 5 class will be added, reaching 225 learners throughout the community of George.
The men in high spirits in George before setting off for the Baviaanskloof.
May thanked the 252 Adventures Team, Sean Evans and Paul Rudolph in particular, for making this event a great success and providing a legacy for new learners. Sean is already planning the next event and judging by the interest, the 2021 road trip will most probably double in size.
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