A beautiful evening celebrating Camp Sizanani
Daniel Greenburg and Kabelo Malefane
Photo by Andrew Propp
On Saturday, April 27th, at 6:00 PM an unusual sound could be heard echoing through the elegant lobby of Oracle's office building in Reston, Virginia. Drumming. As Daniel Greenburg played beautiful rhythms on various percussion instruments, guests at Global Camps Africa's Celebrate Sizanani 2013 immediately caught the spirit of the evening's event. And when South African Camp Sizanani Director, Kabelo Malefane, joined him, the tone for the night was set.
Silent Auction
Photo by Andrew Propp
Guests at the sold-out event enjoyed South African wine, an extensive silent auction offering, beautiful music sung by the children of Laurel Learning Center, and delicious appetizers donated by various local restaurants (click here to see donors and sponsors).
Senator Harris Wofford
Photo by Andrew Propp
After a wonderful dinner, the Honorable Harris Wofford - one of the
co-chairmen of the event - shared his experience visiting Camp Sizanani
with his grandson. He expressed how deeply both he and his grandson
appreciated their time there, and how important he considers the work
that Global Camps Africa is doing.
Kabelo Malefane and Phil Lilienthal
Photo by Andrew Propp
Phil Lilienthal, the President & Founder of Global Camps Africa, then introduced Kabelo Malefane. Kabelo came to the United States just for this special event and he took the opportunity to thank all of the generous supporters of Global Camps Africa for making Camp Sizanani possible. "Without Camp Sizanani," he said, "the children in my neighborhood would not realize that it is possible for them to take control of their lives. They would believe that it is their fate to follow in the footsteps of their parents or older siblings who dropped out of school, could not find work, abused drugs and alcohol, sold their bodies for money, and were sick with HIV." At Camp Sizanani, Kabelo said, the children are given hope through education. "Without education, there can be no progress."
Following Kabelo's remarks, Ken Plum led a spirited live auction. After bidding on trips, sports memorabilia, and other great items, guests were asked to bid on various levels of support for Camp Sizanani. The auction paddles featured the faces of Camp Sizanani campers on one side and the phrase, "Light Up Sizanani" on the other. As the guests raised their paddles, the children's faces were lifted high over the crowd, reminding everyone of the most important reason they were there that evening.
Celebrate Sizanani Event SOLD OUT!
We're thrilled to announce that this year's Celebrate Sizanani event is sold out! Thank you to everyone who purchased tickets and sponsorships for the event - we're looking forward to seeing you all on Saturday, April 27th at the Oracle headquarters in Reston.
If you're not able to join us in person, you can still bid on our amazing selection of live and silent auction items. Check out the auction catalog and contact Ann Granger (ann.granger@globalcampsafrica.org) to submit your bids.
Stay tuned to our website for photos and updates after the festivities.
Dinner and Auction to Support HIV-affected Children in South Africa
April 12, 2013 – For Immediate Release
Reston, VA – On the evening of April 27th Reston will be the site of an event that aims to help young people half way around the globe. Global Camps Africa (GCA), a locally run, internationally active non-profit provides young people in South Africa a chance to spend two weeks connecting, learning, laughing, and camping all in hopes of combatting the spread of HIV/AIDS. This year’s Celebrate Sizanani event (named for the camp in South Africa) will include dinner, South African wine, and live and silent auctions the prizes of which include: four nights in a two-bedroom suite at the Trump Hotel, Waikiki; two round-trip tickets from Washington (Dulles) to Johannesburg; and a Jim Brown autographed NFL football.
The Founder and President of GCA, Philip Lilienthal, will be hosting Celebrate Sizanani 2013 along with several prominent local and international guests. Honorary Chairs of the event are: Robert Simon, the founder of Reston, VA; former US Senator Harris Wofford; and Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool and Ms. Rosieda Shabodien, the South African Ambassador to the US and his wife.
The proceeds of the event will allow Global Camps Africa to continue sending HIV/AIDS affected kids to Camp Sizanani where they learn life skills, awareness and HIV-prevention through an American-style camping experience. “The South African children are ready to have powerful and productive lives. We see this three times a year as 140 new campers come to us without hope and leave after 8 days at camp, with a vision for powerful and meaningful lives. What a joy it is to have camp make such a great contribution to their lives,” says Mr. Lilienthal. The program also provides a biweekly follow-up program called Youth Clubs that meet in several locations around Soweto, where most of the campers live.
Kabelo Malefane, the South African Director of Camp Sizanani, will speak at the event about his experience growing up in South Africa and about how being a part of Camp Sizanani has changed his life. Kabelo has the most interaction with the campers, developing strong connections and seeing the real benefits of Camp Sizanani for the youth of South Africa. He says, “Growing up, I couldn't imagine what camp was. There were no opportunities for me and my friends to get out of our environment. When I learned about camp, I was curious. I was able to start by working in the after-camp Youth Clubs as a counselor. Then I went to be a counselor at camp and it has never stopped. We all feel privileged to be able to assist campers from our townships on how to make their lives worth something.”
EVENT INFORMATION:
Date: April 27th, 2013
Time: 6:00-9:00 PM
Location: Oracle Headquarters (1900 Oracle Way, Reston, VA 20190).
To purchase tickets visit: http://bit.ly/ISV30k or call 703-437-0808
For further information, please contact Emily Crowder (Emily@globalcampsafrica.org)
Global Camps Africa changes the lives of South Africa’s vulnerable children and
youth by providing HIV/AIDS prevention education and training through
high-impact residential camp and day camp experiences and continuing education.
Thousands of vulnerable South African children participate in camp and Kids
Clubs activities each year through generous contributions from donors from
around the globe. Learn more about Global Camps Africa at www.GlobalCampsAfrica.org
SPECIAL EVENT: Celebrate Camp Sizanani 2013
Please join the Board of Directors of Global Camps Africa for a festive evening to celebrate and support Camp Sizanani.
Honorary Chairmen of the event include:
ROBERT SIMON, Founder of Reston, Virginia
THE HONORABLE HARRIS WOFFORD, Former US Senator
H.E. AMBASSADOR EBRAHIM RASOOL & MS. ROSIEDA SHABODIEN, South African Ambassador to the US and his wife
SATURDAY, APRIL 27TH
from 6:00 until 9:00 PM
at ORACLE HEADQUARTERS
1900 Oracle Way
Reston, Virginia 20190
Dinner and South African wine will be served.
Proceeds from live and silent auctions will benefit the children of Camp Sizanani.
SPONSORED BY:
Welcome Barbara Krimgold to Our Board
Barbara
Ms. Krimgold has worked in health policy and international health and economic development for many years, including stints with the United States Office of Management and Budget, the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, and The Center for Advancing. She is a graduate of Harvard College and won a National Defense Education Act postgraduate fellowship at Harvard’s Graduate Center for Middle Eastern Studies. She has lived and worked in France, the Philippines, Indonesia, the Gaza Strip, Egypt, and Ghana. Since 2001, Barbara has served as director of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s postdoctoral Kellogg Health Scholars Program and of the Multidisciplinary-Disparities track for that program. She also directs the doctoral Kellogg Fellows in Health Policy Research Program. She lives in McClean, Virginia, with her husband Fred, and has five grown daughters.