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CHARITY
Char Publications (Pty) Ltd dedicates itself to various
charities in many different ways, eg financial, supportive
and competitive.
We give free advertising to the following associations:
Life Rehabilitation.
SANRA Neuro Rehab.
ADSA Dietetics Ass.
CHOC child cancer Ass.
LIONS SA.
Reach for a Dream.
We give financial assistance to the following institutions:
Mouth & Foot painters.
Girls & Boys Town.
Salvation Army.
IFAN Animals.
Blind SA.
We give time, energy and assistance to the following teams:
Walk the Talk, Char Publications really does “Walk the
Talk”.
The Dippy Dolphins team of swimmers have assisted the
disabled to swim the Midmar competition for the last 18
years. This year the Midmar swim will be going for the
Guiness Book of Records, for the biggest open water swim in
the world. The Dippy Dolphins team consists of 25 helpers,
and approximately 20 disabled swimmers.
GUINESS BOOK OF RECORDS- MIDMAR MILE 2009
The Char Publications swimming team “The Dippy Dolphins”
became part of history this year when they achieved Guiness
Book of Records status by swimming the MIDMAR MILE along
with 20 000 other swimmers.
The Dippy Dolphins Club began 10 years ago when an
announcement came over the microphone at Midmar. A gentleman
by the name of Roy Reece needed assistance to swim his race.
Charmaine Upton (founder of Dippy Dolphins) came forward to
assist Roy and they had a tremendously successful swim
agreeing to meet the following year. Charmaine has been
partnering Roy ever since.
The group of assistant swimmers has grown to 35 members over
the years and therefore we are able to assist more and more
disabled swimmers. To mention a few of our regular assistant
swimmers are Charmaine Upton, Jenny Pascoe, Glenda Wright,
Jan Hulcoop, Rob Handley, Linda Davies, Laurence Stafford,
Bradley Thorpe, Megan Todd, Jane Leeferink, Dael & Gregory
Stojakovic, Deon du Toit, Peta Hafner, Tori Anderson &
Wilhelm de Koker. These dedicated swimmers often swim in
their own ceded races on the same day. It is their selfless
natures that make the Dippy Dolphins Group the success it is
today. Without them, our club would simply not exist.
We are incredibly proud of our disabled swimmers and hope
that we can continue being of assistance to them for many
years to come.
A founder disabled member and 84 years of age, Roy Reece is
our oldest swimmer and also the oldest swimmer at Midmar.
Roy has the use of one arm due to a stroke and only has
sight in one eye.
Close on his heels creating a friendly bit of competitive
rivalry between himself and Roy is Alistair Phillips.
Alister is 83 years of age and travels all the way from
Scotland each year to take part in the mile swim. He is deaf
and partially sighted.
Hentjie Nortje is a blind lawyer and he won the bravery
medal 2 years ago. Barry Funnell is a paraplegic swimmer and
Roland Styles, a dwarf. Josh Granville (32 years of age) has
down-syndrome. He has completed 11 swims. Garreth Linder (19
years of age) is mentally disabled and he has completed 9
swims. Go for your 10 year badge Gareth!!! Then we have
Derek Carter, another regular swimmer and he is a blind
physiotherapist. WHAT A TALENTED and DETERMINED BUNCH!! We
often hear the same comments from people year after year:
“Boy, these guys put one to shame – there are so many able
bodied people out there that wouldn’t make it across the
dam”!
Our rather enthusiastic group of Casa Do Sol swimmers that
also form part of the Dippy Dolphin club and assisted by one
of their wonderful teachers, Hannelie, are an absolute joy
and consist of: Rubi Kirsch, Raymond Risseeuw, Lucas Deseta,
Joanne Cowley, Carrie Levenberg, Jacqui Troxler, Yiannis
Roussos, Jason Gomez, Jessica Frredman, Henry Liversage and
Ovido Olivier.
Then, a big thank you must go to the wonderfully dippy
assistants that travel all the way to Midmar each year to
help us on the day. Julie Fortune & Cesca Steyn help with
erecting tents and writing the numbers of the swimmers on
their arms and legs. Digby & Jennifer Ormond-Brown who do
all the photography each year and thank you especially to
TMS a market research company that sponsored our very smart
looking T shirts.
The entire group have really become great friends over time
and we all look forward to meeting up in Feb each year for
another thrilling year of fun, excitement, nerves, shouts of
encouragement and laughter!
CONGRATS TO ALL DIPPY DOLPHINS AND YOUR GUINESS BOOK OF RECORDS SWIM!!!!
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