Our fundraiser dinner at the end of my fundraising campaign for Operation Smile was a huge success. Congratulations to Riana and Nettie de Villiers for the excellent organization of the function.
Although the function started at 17:00 the first guests already arrived at 13:00. And that was when the big celebrations started which ended only after breakfast this morning.
Thank you to all the wonderful people who attended from as far as the Western Cape. There are no words, with which I can express my gratitude towards you.
We were entertained by the wonderful music of singer Jacques de Villiers, a young and upcoming singer of whom we will hear a lot in the future. Lita Buckley surprised all the KLR riders and guests with a stunning performance of the song “Story of my Life”.
The fundraising campaign for Operation Smile was a huge success. Within the next few days we can give the final amount that was raised for Operation Smile. I believe we will get close to the target, which we set us before the start of the long ride.
How much was raised with the first copy of Kate that was sold to the highest bidder?
R 500?
R 3 000
R 5000?
No, R 8 400!!!!!!!!
Marius and Marianne Venter of Pretoria, the owners of the first Kate book.
Three photographs taken in Russia and bottles of good South African wine were auctioned off and raised another few thousand Rand.
The bidding started on the photograph called Love.
Egmont Sass of the Skytop Convenience Centre at O R Tambo International Airport handing over a cheque of R 6 000,00. (I am wearing my second-hand shoes bought in Latvia 🙂
We all enjoyed the relaxed, informal atmosphere of the fundraiser dinner.
Thanks to Ben Claassens for the above photographs.
Still it was not the end of the surprises. There was another offer, all the way from faraway Cairo, Egypt, for a second copy of Kate!
Not R 500.
Not R 4000,00.
But R 8 220.00!!!!
Herbert and Makkie Hatting from Cairo, Egypt, who bought a second copy of Kate.
Kate alone brought in R 16 620,00 (approx. Euro 1.580,00).
We were blessed with all these donations that will put a permanent smile on the faces of many more children!
Many of the guests stayed over. Erna Oosthuizen and Cathy Beukes at their rooms.
It is a good feeling to belong to a society that cares.
“Never believe that a few caring people can’t change the world. For, indeed, that’s all who ever have.” – Margaret Mead.
Africa, Europe, Russia / Siberia! Well done KLR! 
Well done Lodie, great evening i really enjoyed it and all the people who attended.
Huge congrats on the fund raising, that is really amazing!!! How many more beautiful kids will now be able to show the world their smile.
Big hats off to you squire for making it happen
The wonder of the fundraising was that it was a team effort, in which YOU played a huge role. Thanks good man for all your energy up to end with the pictures and name plates.
Wat ‘n voorreg om die 2de boek se eienaars te mag wees!
Nou moet ons ongelukkig vra wanneer die aflewering sal wees?
Makkie!
Ek sal gou na die KLR se bande kyk of hulle nog tot Kairo sal hou, en dan bring ek jul boek vir julle. As die bande te glad is, sal julle tot einde van die maand moet wag, ongelukkig 🙂
Nogmaals baie dankie vir die reuse bydrae!!
Herbert: Hoekom het jy nie jou galabeya aan nie?
Ons is bereid om te wag tot die einde van die maand, maar dan sal jy dit die moeite werd moet maak.
Ek het dit by die huis vergeet en my bril op die motorfiets. Nou is ek nog sonder bril ook 😦
Mens kan sien dat die toer verby is, ek is weer klaar vergeetagtig en pas nie my goed op nie.