The Gandhi Walk Committee
22 February 2010
CELEBRATE THE 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF INDIAN PEOPLE IN SA, PARTICIPATE IN THE 25TH ANNUAL GANDHI WALK.
It’s that time of the year again, but this year the country’s biggest Gandhi Walk promises to be even bigger and better.
The 25th Gandhi Walk will take place on Sunday 28th March 2010 in Lenasia, Gauteng. This annual charity fun walk is organised by the Gandhi Walk Committee (GWC) and will start and finish at the Gandhi Hall in Lenasia – Impala Crescent, Extension 5.
Annually over 3000 walkers from all over Gauteng participate in this charity fun walk. The theme of this years walk is health and unity.
This year the Gandhi Walk Committee is celebrating the hosting of it’s silver jubilee annual walk and is partnering with and co-sponsoring the 1860 Legacy Foundation.
The 1860 Legacy Foundation is the body established to coordinate the celebrations marking the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of people of Indian decent in South Africa. The two organizations are appealing to all community organizations and leaders to make this years walk a massive display of unity through their active participation in the walk.
“To drive up walker participation we have introduced two special invitations, aptly named the TWENTY-FIVE CHALLENGE and the ONE-FIFTHY-CHALLENGE, where we are encouraging and challenging community organisations, companies, health and sporting clubs as well as local and provincial government to round up their troops and form their walking group of either 25 or 150 people to come do the Gandhi Walk and have a fun day out,” says Mahendra Modi PRO of the Gandhi Walk Committee.
There will be two distances offered to walkers. The 15 km walk commences at 8.15 AM and the 7 km walk at 8.30 AM respectively.
The first 3000 participants to complete the walk will receive a commemorative T Shirt and winners in each category will receive trophies.
Entrance fee is just R20 per participant for either route. Walker-numbers can be purchased in advance from the Gandhi Hall every weekend until the walk or online from the Gandhi Walk website www.gandhiwalk.org.za. Volunteers will also be selling Walker-numbers at Trade Route Mall and Signet Terrace the weekend before the walk so be sure to get yours there!
Late entries are allowed and Walker-numbers can also be purchased on the morning of the walk but with the higher volumes expected this year it is advisable to purchase your number in advance.
Many organisations have been invited to participate in the walk and some prominent persons like the new Consul General of India Shree Vikram Doraiswami, counsellors, Ministers, and the High Commissioner of India has also been invited to attend the walk.
...And That’s Not All!
If the walk wasn’t enough, participants and the public are in for even more action and entertainment at the Gandhi Hall – base for the 2010 Gandhi Walk – with community stalls, sales of tasty eats (pure vegetarian off-course), a goal-in-one soccer shootout, a music and dance show – called Fusion Mela – and wait for it, a Gandhi Look-Alike Competition!
In keeping with it’s theme of good health, the Gandhi Walk and Lenmed Clinic is going bigger this year by teeming up to provide a variety of free health services, from cholesterol, blood-sugar and blood-pressure testing, to eye and feet care. These services will be provided from 10am to 4 pm.
After great success last year, it’s no doubt that the KIDS ZONE is being expanded with even more fun filled activities for the young ones, so be sure to bring them along! “There’ll be everything from jumping castles to water slides to face painting going on at the Kids Zone and the committee is working on some surprise visits for the kids” adds Modi.
There will be many other giveaways and spot prizes on offer to the public on the day, and raffle tickets can be bought where a grand prize will be a stunning Plasma TV.
“The Gandhi Walk in Lenasia has been a good event for people to meet long lost friends over the years, and the combination of health and social activity makes it unique” adds Ramesh Baichar, of the GWC. “To sustain an event of this magnitude for 25 years with great public support is an achievement for any organisation and we are thankful to everyone who comes to support it!”
“We are proud to be launching our awareness campaign at the Jubilee Gandhi Walk and the celebration of heritage for Indians in South Africa could not be showcased at a more fitting event than the Lenasia Gandhi Walk” concludes Neeshan Balton, Secretary of the Gauteng branch of the 1860 Legacy Foundation.
For further information on the Gandhi Walk or if you require a walker number, kindly call Jivan Ramjee on 011 852 3117 or Ramesh Baichar on 082 6509416 or Jasubhen Manga on 011 852 –5854 or visit the official Gandhi Walk web-site at www.gandhiwalk.org.za
