#Ride4Smile: KIA Motors South Africa supports Smile Foundation in the Telkom 947 Cycle Challenge
KIA Motors South Africa this week handed over a donation of R65,000 towards the Smile Foundation, in support of the organisation’s #Ride4Smile initiative during the 2018 Telkom 947 Cycle Challenge.
The initiative is in support of the well-known cycle race’s ‘Ride for a Purpose’ challenge, and sees participating cyclists dedicate their ride to raising funds for Smile Foundation.
By committing to #Ride4Smile, cyclists pledge to raise a minimum of R1,500 for the organisation – either through a direct deposit to the organisation, or via the Smile Foundation fundraising portal account. Cyclists can, of course, raise more than this amount, and the top three fundraisers stand a chance to win a selection of prizes. In support, KIA and Smile Foundation provides each cyclist with a branded cycling shirt, a goodie bag, as well as training tips and lessons, among others.
Smile Foundation has a comprehensive healthcare vision for children living with facial conditions. Together with eleven of South Africa’s academic hospitals, the organisation works to put the smile back onto children’s faces with corrective facial reconstructive surgery and treatments. Specifically, Smile Foundation helps children in need of surgery for treatable facial anomalies such as cleft lip, cleft palate, nose and ear conditions, facial paralysis (Moebius Syndrome), burn wounds and craniofacial abnormalities. All money raised through #Ride4Smile will go directly to children living with such facial conditions.
“KIA Motors has a longstanding association with Smile Foundation,”
says David Sieff, Marketing Director, KIA Motors South Africa,
“and this latest contribution is yet another token of our ongoing support of the incredible work the organisation does. Like Smile Foundation, KIA believes in the future of our children, and through our support, we believe we can assist the organisation to make the joy visible through the smiles of our nation’s children.”
Included in the donation is a R15,000 portion following KIA’s #AllTheRightSmiles activation at the 2018 Festival of Motoring. During the Festival, KIA Motors South Africa pledged R10 to Smile Foundation for every visitor who completed a test drive in a KIA vehicle.
During the festival, KIA certainly delivered on their promise of giving visitors #AllTheRightSmiles, thanks to the thrilling, limited-edition KIA Stinger, the surprisingly agile KIA Picanto, the suave KIA Rio and the favourite SUV of South African families, the KIA Sportage.
