Posted in News on May 17, 2007.
At the prize giving ceremony at the end of what was an entertaining and eventful day, the Chiefs striker and goalkeeper said that instead of taking the televisions home they would instead donate them to an institution who could do with the equipment.
After The Amakhosi had concluded training on Thursday morning, Bartlett and Fernandez first met up with Eunice Matshemola and a number of her students, who had come to the Kaizer Chiefs Village in Southern Johannesburg, and were handed the television by the players. Upon receipt of the television Matshemola said “This is a very kind gesture on behalf of the players, Kaizer Chiefs have been very kind to our school in recent times and we are grateful to the club for their support as well as Rowen and Shaun for handing over their prizes to us.”
Oupa Biyela of the Carol Shaw memorial trust, who brought a sizeable contingent of members with him, believes that the kind of gesture shown by the Chiefs players is very admirable.
“At our institution we deal with trying to help youngsters overcome drug addictions. To have them out at the Chiefs village is a motivational experience for them, as it allows them to broaden their horizons and soul search within themselves and realize that only you can make your dreams come true, just as most of the players at Chiefs have done. Shaun and Rowen could have kept the television and who know’s it might have just stayed in a box in the garage, instead they opted to pass it on and this kind of act that shows to the youngsters that there are people in the world who care for you and it will assist in the youngsters at our institution working towards fulfilling their own dreams”.
The highlight of the handing over ceremony for the pair of Chiefs players was the guts and determination against all adversities demonstrated by a child of no more than nine years of age from the Vutomi I Nyiko School who has no arms and captivated everyone with some amazing goalkeeping skills. He dived across the goal during a gentle kick about with the Chiefs players, keeping the ball from crossing the line by heading it away as well using his feet to stop the ball. Seeing the young man’s face light up upon receiving the gift on behalf of his school made the entire occasion worth while in the words of Chiefs goalkeeper Rowen Fernandez.