Sibaya urges KZN to support One Land Love It to help South Africa’s rhinos
Intrepid cyclist Wayne Bolton will receive a hero’s welcome at Sibaya Casino and Entertainment Kingdom on 2 August 2017 when his epic 2 000 kilometre ride through 20 game reserves to raise funds and awareness for rhinos culminates. Bolton began his One Land Love It: Frontier Rhino Ride on 1 July 2017 at Kragga Kamma Game Reserve in Port Elizabeth. His journey is taking him through the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal to the Mozambique border where he’ll plant a flag with the message, “Close the gates”. He then returns to Sibaya where the Finale event will be held. Along the way, he will connect 20 game reserves.
A life-size, fibreglass rhino named Olli, with the words, “One cyclist, 20 game reserves, riding for rhinos from Nelson Mandela Bay through the Zulu Kingdom to the Mozambique border,” will join Wayne and will be pulled along for the journey on the “Olli Trolli” by the team’s support vehicle. The public is invited to make a difference and purchase an “Olli Footprint” which will be painted on Olli the rhino.
This year’s expedition follows the success of his first One land Love It (OLLI) expedition which saw him traverse 6 000 kilometres through connecting 19 SANParks game reserves creating awareness of the plight of South Africa’s rhinos. With him he carried a “Scroll of Unity in Conservation” which was signed by SANParks representatives and it symbolised the common objective to the make the world a better place by protecting and managing what we have, stressing the fact that extinction can’t be our legacy.
Through the campaign, R150 000 was raised for the SANParks Honorary Rangers and Care for Wild Africa, a rhino orphanage. The Honorary Rangers are using the funds towards their counter-poaching initiatives, while Care for Wild raises and rehabilitates orphaned rhino calves. Care for the Wild will once again be the main beneficiary of Bolton’s 2017 expedition.
Sun International’s Boardwalk in Port Elizabeth enthusiastically supported the first OLLI expedition and now Sibaya has hopped onboard to be part of the 2017 journey. Sibaya will host the finale event on 2 August as well as a fundraising breakfast with former Springbok captain, John Smit on 3 August. The public is invited to be part of the fundraising breakfast at Aqua at 08h00. The cost is R300 per person and seats and be booked online through www.oneland.co.za
“Rhino poaching continues to escalate to the point that the country’s reserves are quite simply unable to adequately protect them. Through campaigns such as this, much needed funds can be generated to support anti-poaching efforts as well as the rehabilitation of orphaned rhinos. We encourage caring members of the community and corporate citizens to also heed the call for assistance to help protect South Africa’s precious rhinos,” says Melville Vogel General Manager at Sibaya.
The Bolton family supports Wayne in this endeavor, they will also cycle with him for sections of the expedition and together they’ve created the OLLI #JointCustody School Rhino Challenge which has allowed them to partner with schools to raise awareness and funds for orphaned calves. Schools collaborate to support a rhino calf from Care for Wild Africa and are challenged to create awareness around rhino conservation. Grey Junior Primary launched the Eastern Cape leg of the School Rhino Challenge from their Fun Day on the 29th June and on the 6th of August the KZN leg of the school’s challenge will be launched at Eden College, where Wayne and Olli will be welcomed to the College at their annual Conservation Fest.
To find out more about OLLI and to make a donation visit www.oneland.co.za
For more information visit www.suninternational.com or follow Sibaya on www.facebook.com/yoursibaya or on Twitter @SibayaCasino