Celebrities Ready to Race for The Smile Foundation!
JOHANNESBURG – The winner of Survivor South Africa: Santa Carolina, GiGi; fellow Survivor-contestant and Egoli-star, Izak Davel and Mr. South Africa 2009, Stephen Segal, are all donning their cycling gear to raise funds for The Smile Foundation in this year’s Momentum 94.7 Cycle Challenge to be held in Johannesburg on 21 November.
GiGi
USN has come on board and is carrying the cost of all the entries for The Smile Foundation’s charity bond group. This translates into a sizable donation to The Smile Foundation – seeing that 49 people are racing for the foundation this year!
“USN is proud to be associated with The Smile Foundation. As an organisation we are happy to do our bit to help children smile!” says Rion Goosen, national events and sponsorship manager of USN.
GiGi, the reigning Survivor-champion, will be training for the Momentum 94.7 Cycle Challenge when she is not on stage at the Victory Theatre in Johannesburg. The popular starlet will be riding tandem with Joe Theron, a long time colleague and the owner of the Victory Theatre.
Izak Davel
Izak Davel is best known for his character, Scab, in the popular soap, Egoli. Apart from being a well-known actor and singer, Izak was arguably the most talked about celebrity in Survivor South Africa: Santa Carolina, thanks in part to his now infamous red Speedo. Stephen Segal, Mr. South Africa 2009 and star of Manhunt, is also excited to be representing The Smile Foundation in the Momentum 94.7 Cycle Challenge.
The Smile Foundation’s passion has always been to help impoverished and facially disfigured children by assisting them to receive the much needed surgery that they would not otherwise be able to afford. The organisation sponsored around 200 children through its activities during this past year. These surgeries were performed across 6 State Academic Hospitals that partner with The Smile Foundation in correcting these children’s facial anomalies.
The Momentum 94.7 Cycle Challenge is the ideal way for both patrons and celebrities to be involved patrons in an exciting challenge, while raising funds for much needed operations on these children. In addition to being one of the City of Joburg’s flagship events, the Cycle Challenge has had a positive impact on the local cycling, health and related industries. The Cycle Challenge has received recognition from the UCI, the International Governing Body of Cycling, as a model to the cycling world. It is these achievements that have led world-famous cycling commentator Phil Liggett and respected journalist Jeff Quenet to remark that the Cycle Challenge is the best-organized event in Africa, and that leading cycling nations could learn from what is achieved in Johannesburg.
The three celebrity-patrons will be cycling alongside an entire team of The Smile Foundation’s patrons and sponsors, some of which are experienced cyclists.
In addition to the funds raised by this generous sponsorship, Gigi, Izak and Stephen all have profiles on the BackaBuddy website, where supporters can donate funds to either of these celebrities. When they complete the Cycle Challenge, all monies raised in this manner will also be donated to The Smile Foundation.
All the money raised through the 94.7 Cycle Challenge and by the celebrities on BackaBuddy will be used by The Smile Foundation for operations on children suffering from facial anomalies. Children’s facial deformities will be corrected in a child-friendly environment, and The Smile Foundation will use its relationship with academic hospitals to engender a child friendly culture, best practices, and Smile Foundation standards.
Stephen and GiGi’s cycles for the 94.7 Cycle Challenge will be provided by the Gary Beneke Sports Institute. Apart from supplying the cycles, the institute will also be on hand with vital advice, assistance and equipment for the celebrities during their training regime.
For more information on The Smile Foundation, or to donate monies and find out how to get involved, visit www.smilefoundationsa.org or call 0861 ASMILE
The Smile Foundation is a non-profit organisation that brings people together for the purpose of providing expert surgical intervention, creating greater social involvement and enabling sensible corporate social investment, to make a difference in the lives of children with facial anomalies.
