Thousands of rands will be donated to a local welfare organisation and a mental health project, as part of a campaign recently launched by the regional branch of an international sports clothing brand.
This is according to Martin Koch, regional manager for the sports clothing company, ASICS, and volunteer for The WOW Project, an animal outreach organisation with a focus on the Wolwerivier and Atlantis Extension 13 communities.
The #MindsBestFriend Campaign, launched by ASICS in May, will donate R68 000 to The WOW Project and the Cape Mental Health (CMH) centre, said Koch.
The sports attire company, ASICS, in collaboration with Dragonfly Tri, a sporting events company, hosted a trail run for Stellenbosch locals and their furry friends as a fundraiser for The WOW Project and the Cape Mental Health organisation. SMF News attended the event held on 25 May at Devonbosch Estate in Stellenbosch. PHOTO: Annemieke Thomaidis
As part of the fundraising campaign, ASICS, in collaboration with Dragonfly Tri, a sporting events company, hosted a trail run for people and their dogs on Sunday 25 May at Devonbosch Estate.
SMF News was in attendance.
“We’ve seen a fantastic response so far,” said Lara Oberholzer, digital marketing specialist for ASICS. “It’s exciting to witness how many people, and their dogs, are joining the movement for both mental and community wellness,” she said.
Sources of support
Entry to the event was R255, with R50 from every entry being donated directly to The WOW Project, which will specifically “go towards our sterilisation program and help cover emergency vet bills”, said Koch.
Ashley van Rooyen, the co-founder of the sporting events company Dragonfly Tri, told SMF News there were 160 entries overall.
That calculates to R8 000 that will be donated to The WOW Project..
The WOW Project is a non-profit organisation that runs an animal outreach programme in the Wolwerivier and Atlantis Extension 13 communities. This includes sterilisation and feeding programmes. This is according to Nicci Venter, a volunteer for The WOW Project for over five years. PHOTO: Annemieke Thomaidis
In addition, 500kg of dog food will further be donated to The WOW Project on behalf of Lionel’s Choice, a South African dog food company, said Koch.
This donation will contribute to 3 months’ worth of food to the organisation’s feeding programme, noted Nicci Venter, a volunteer for the NPO for over five years.
Additionally, “any post or share that anybody does on social media on a public account with the #MindsBestFriend, ASICS will donate towards a mental health partner”, said Koch.
In this case, R5 for every hashtag will be donated to CMH. However, according to Koch, since tracking the total number of hashtags is challenging, ASICS has pledged a fixed amount of R60 000 to the NPO.
While the R8 000 exclusively comes from the trail run event, the R60 000 will be donated at the end of the campaign in July.
As part of the fundraiser, Lionel’s Choice, a dog food brand, donated half a ton of food to The WOW Project, an animal welfare organisation, said Martin Koch, regional manager for ASICS and volunteer for the organisation. “With the support of food donations from Lionel’s Choice, [pets in poorer communities] can be included in The WOW Projects’s feeding program, helping ensure they lead longer, healthier lives,” said Lara Oberholzer, digital marketing specialist for ASICS. PHOTO: Annemieke Thomaidis
#MindsBestFriend campaign
The #MindsBestFriend campaign is aimed at promoting the idea of the dog being the “original movement influencer”, said Koch.
In line with this, ASICS’ global office conducted a study and found a positive correlation between the role that dogs play in motivating physical activity and mental well-being, with other studies having similar results.
Blessing Mpofu and his dog Otto running the 5km trail at Devonbosch Estate in Stellenbosch. SMF News attended the #MindsBestFriend trail run on 25 May, which was hosted by ASICS and event sporting company, Dragonfly Tri. PHOTO: Annemieke Thomaidis
According to the ASICS study, 65% of dog owners say their dogs are the biggest motivation to be active. Additionally, 79% of dog owners say they are less stressed and 83% feel happier after moving with their dog.
“[ASICS] have long understood the connection between movement and mental health,” said Oberholzer. “Adding animal welfare into the mix, felt like a powerful way to broaden the impact of that message.”
The campaign will run until 12 July, said Oberholzer.
On Sunday 25 May, SMF News attended a trail run for people and their dogs at Devonbosch Estate in Stellenbosch. Hosted by ASICS and Dragonfly Tri, the event raised R68,000 for organisations like The WOW Project and Cape Mental Health. VIDEO: Annemieke Thomaidis