Mark Belcher, Our Argus -Shine- Hero.

Mark Belcher, post race... he was a flash of blue and silver.... looking good, Mark! 

One of our volunteers at Zonnebloem, lovely Penny Belcher, approached me a month ago to tell me that her husband was riding the Argus, and was planning a sponsored event. Mark organised an elaborate and fun 'paid-time- slot' challenge, a kind of 'sweepstake,' where the winner of the chosen time slot that Mark completed the race in became the winner of half the funds raised. The Shine Centre was to be the chosen charity for the balance. We were due to receive the sum of R2490. The prize money was won by a consortium of three winners, and they incredibly generously donated their sum to the Shine pot, raising a total of R5480 for Shine. This is fantastic news, and it is wonderful to see this incredible spirit of giving. I am now awaiting a photo of Mark in his silver and blue gear, to complete this heartwarming story! 

Mark, we salute you, and thank you for your original and inspiring approach to the Argus Pick n Pay cycle tour. 

I have attached a part of the inspiring letter that Mark posted out to his colleagues at UCS Solutions Exco: in the true spirit of Lead South Africa. 

 'I was challenged by certain members of the UCS Solutions Exco to take part in the “Pick n Pay Argus Cycle Tour”. I accepted the challenge but needed to go through a bit of a “metamorphosis” before I was able to fulfill my obligations. It is now 2011 and I have got my act sufficiently together to rise to the challenge.

So at 09:17 on 13th March 2011, I will be joining a few other people on the start line to take part in my first Argus.

It’s easy to keep quiet about these sorts of things and just quietly get on with it in a low key sort of way. But doing that does allow you to keep your options open. I therefore wanted to find a way where I could slam the door on options and be absolutely 100% totally committed to seeing this through.

Who better to rely on for a little encouragement and motivation that the fantastic bunch at UCS Solutions?

So until I complete the race on 13^th March 2011, you shall be my motivation!!

How? I hear you ask; well apart from being the highly motivating bunch that you naturally are, you are going to be invited to take part in a little competition. This competition has been designed to achieve (2)very important things:

1: To ruthlessly motivate me to do the right thing and finish the race!

2: To take the opportunity to help people who really need and deserve our help....'

Mark Belcher,UCS Solutions Exco 
Mark finished in great time, and this is the letter he sent us after the event: Great stuff, Mark. 

'Dear Kathryn,

Great news, the “Time Stamp Challenge” SOLD OUT on the Friday before the Pick n Pay Argus Cycle Tour, so all that was left was for me to cycle the race, finish within the allotted time and set a time that would result in us finding a competition winner.

As an Argus virgin, I was very relieved that the weather was absolutely perfect. The race was a huge success with no real dramas and a new personal best time was set. Not hard when it’s your first!!

This morning, I published the fact that the owner of “Time Stamp: 4hrs 18mins” was the winner. This “Time Stamp” was owned by a consortium made up of three people from team UCS Solutions. They were Louise Claassen, Riaan Stoltz and Deborah Tschepen.

I am very pleased to tell you that Louise, Riaan and Deborah have chosen to donate their R2, 490.00 winning pot to The Shine Centre, bringing the total raised to R5, 230.00There were three other “raffle prizes” that were won by random “Time Stamp” owners. Those winners were: Richard Newton winning R120, Ian Butow and his “show me the money” consortium winning R80 and Adrian Barrett winning R50. All three winners have also chosen to donate their winnings to The Shine Centre.

So, total raised for The Shine Centre: R5, 480.00

Doing this has been a very humbling experience for me. I have seen people at their best and I have been touched at their generosity and enthusiasm. But in the big scheme of things, this is small and pales into insignificance compared to the phenomenal work you and your team of staff and volunteers do for the kids who attend The Shine Centre. Congratulations and Thank You.

Much love 

Mark Belcher

cost of  

Well,T