CN&CO & the Breede River Duck Derby

Many of us at CN&CO – including our friends and clients – know and love “The Karens of Bonnievale”. Karin Biggs and Karen Kleingeld are a couple of smart entrepreneurs who left the Jozi rat-race a few years ago to live in the Boland town of Bonnievale, where they run a farm, a hotel, a restaurant, and a bed and breakfast.

In their spare time they consult to the pension fund and wealth management industries, which is where their “corporate” skills lie.

One of the projects they’re part of (and there are many!) is the Bonnie People community development project, which provides assistance to members of an informal settlement on the outskirts of Bonnievale. The project provides meals, day care and activities for the kids, while the women of the community also benefit from a skills development programme.

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Karin Biggs ensures the ducks for the Breede River Duck Derby are well looked after ahead of the event

“The Bonnie People project is very close to our hearts and we’re always trying to think up new and interesting ways to raise funds for the community,” says Karen K. “Most people have severe donor fatigue as it is, so when we come with requests for our little project in our little dorpie, we rarely have any major success. We continually have to come up with innovative projects to get people involved in their hearts, because then their wallets follow a lot easier!”

So when Karin B approached Samlam Investments with the idea of hosting a duck derby, they were intrigued.

“This is something that makes people take notice,” she says. “People are far more likely to be intrigued by a duck derby than a cake sale or a gala dinner.”

And the folks at Sanlam were, indeed, intrigued. So much so that they stepped up as inaugural sponsors of the first Breede River Duck Derby.

The derby will take place on Sunday 18 October 2015 as part of the annual Wine on the River festival. Ducks are available for R100 (indivudal sponsors) and R1000 (business sponsors).

All ducks will be deposited at the starting line at the appointed hour. From there, they will simply float down the Breede River as the onlookers cheer them on. The first duck in each category, individual and corporate, to cross the finish line will win R5000.

You don’t have to be there to enter the competition. CN&CO’s Colin Ford will be at the derby and will happily cheer your duck on if you give him your proxy.

CN&CO challenges all our friends and clients to buy a duck and take part in the derby. Let Colin know once you’ve entered and, if your duck wins, we’ll donate R1000 to a charity of your choice.

What to do

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