Cape Town - If there’s one thing that’s guaranteed to get bikers revved up, it’s children in need.
So when Waseem Salie, founder of the Motorcycle Owners Cape Town Facebook page, heard that the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital was having a drive to raise funds for a new intensive care unit, he decided to do something about it.
Salie started the page some years ago to co-ordinate Sunday morning rides with a few friends and share the photos that they took on the runs. Over time, more riders asked if they could ride along, joined the Facebook group so they’d know what was going on and, within a year, the original six riding buddies had become an online group of more than 1000.
Today the group stands at 3500, including riders from all over the Western Cape and a few from further afield. Their monthly Meet and Greet is held at the Grand Parade – one of the few places in Cape Town that’s big enough! – and has become renowned for its free koeksisters and laid-back camaraderie.
PROMOTING AWARENESS
The group is not a club, and doesn’t have a badge; it’s open to anybody who rides a motorcycle, be it a custom cruiser, an adventure bike or a daily commuter. Its aims are to get riders talking to each other and to promote awareness of motorcycles on the roads.
Salie used the sheer size of the group as a lever to get his bikerfunding effort off the start-line by going online and publicly pledging a donation, challenging the membership to match or better it, with the intention of raising R10 000 for the new ICU – a target that was reached in just three days!
So, on Sunday 3 April, the Motorcycle Owners Cape Town and the Cape Town Breakfast Runners, will meet at the Mouille Point lighthouse from 8.30am for a ride to the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital, where they will hand over a cheque for R10 000. All riders are welcome to join them, and make cash donations, which will be handed over on the spot. To be a part of this grassroots biker initiative, call Salie at 072 356 4723 or join the Motorcycle Owners Cape Town Facebook group .