On 19 April 2016, Let’s Play with associate partner, Builders Warehouse Bloemfontein, donated a variety of sports equipment to Lebone Village as part of their initiative – Play it Forward. More than 100 bins have been placed in all Builders Warehouse stores countrywide to collect second-hand sports equipment, clothing and footwear.
“We all have unused sports equipment stashed in cupboards and garages; items that have been neglected or were replaced by newer versions. Why not rather donate the equipment to kids who can’t afford to buy new ones? This campaign has had astounding results, collecting about R500 000 worth of sporting equipment which has helped change the lives of thousands of our children”, says Let’s Play’s Vaughn Bishop.
Adrian Templeton, Branch Manager of Builders Warehouse Bloemfontein read a quote from Nelson Mandela, before handing out the sports equipment to the kids from Lebone Village. He read: “Sports have the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire, the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sports can create hope, where there was once only despair. It is more powerful than governments in breaking down racial barriers.”
Lulu Ngcobo, General Manager of Lebone Village said that the sporting equipment means a lot to the 38 primary and high school learners who received it. She said that the children don’t have access to good quality sporting equipment and the areas in which they play, can’t handle cheap plastic balls, etc. She said that the contribution was invaluable.
Visit www.letsplay.org and www.builders.co.za.
More on Let’s Play
SuperSport over time has evolved as the quintessential sports authority. With such strong sporting influence within the South African market, SuperSport has been perfectly poised to harness this power and rally the public and corporates to truly make a difference in society.
SuperSport identified that there were huge issues severely inhibiting the development of children through skills learned by playing, physical education and sport – all of which are imperative to the holistic development of young people.
The aim is to elevate awareness of our social situation and to introduce and encourage play, activity and sport in schools.
More on Lebone Village:
Lebone Village is a faith based non profit organisation situated just outside Bloemfontein in the Free State province, South Africa. Lebone Village is dedicated to bringing hope, dignity and support by providing holistic care to all vulnerable children, their families, ALL people affected by poverty. Most of our children are orphaned because of the devastating effect HIV / AIDS has on our country. We currently have 5 sections in which we try to meet the needs of many. These are Lebone House, Lebone Counselling, Lebone Edu Centre , Lebone Skills development and Lebone Agriculture.
Photos: Pieter Bruwer
