Olli the Rhino
Avis Van Rental Supports Wayne Bolton - Peddalling with Olli the Rhino to protect South Africa's Natural Heritage
Avis Van Rental is excited to announce that they are once again partnering with endurance cyclist Wayne Bolton in his effort to preserve our natural heritage and save our rhino from extinction.In 2015 Wayne cycled more than 6 000km in 2½ months, visiting each of the 19 SANParks in South Africa to raise funds for counter-poaching equipment and the rhino orphanage Care for Wild Africa.
With pressure being placed on rhino poachers in the Kruger Park, the poaching scourge has now taken root in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu Natal. For this reason, Wayne is undertaking the OLLI Frontier Rhino Ride, a mountain bike expedition that will link 20 of the top game reserves across the two provinces. The OLLI Frontier Rhino Ride aims to raise funds for Care for Wild Africa and also pay tribute to the role private reserves play in conserving our rhino.
While Wayne cycles approximately 2 000km on his bike, his support team will follow in his wake in a 4x4 double cab sponsored by Avis Van Rental. The vehicle will tow OLLI (One Land Love It), a life-size fibreglass rhino, to bring awareness to the expedition and to assist with fund-raising efforts. Individuals and corporates can support OLLI by buying footprints which will be painted onto OLLI, along with the name of the sponsor. At each of the parks the Scroll of Unity in Conservation will be signed and a ring will be placed over OLLI’s horn. By the final park the entire horn will be covered in the colours of the South African flag – symbolically reclaiming our natural heritage.
“OLLI is a great way to capture the publics’ imagination,” says Wayne. “I’ll be supplying the pedal power to get us around the country, and OLLI is my beefier sidekick. He provides the star power!”
The hashtag, #jointcustody encourages everyone to support the initiative and to work together to leave a legacy for future generations.
“All South Africans have a responsibility to preserve our wildlife,” says Leon Fourie, General Manager at Avis Van Rental. “We’re glad to partner with Wayne to raise awareness of rhino conservation and give people a fun and interactive way to contribute to sustaining our environment.”
The Frontier Rhino Ride will start on 1 July from the Kragga Kamma Game Park in Port Elizabeth and continue north through the Eastern Cape and into Kwa Zulu Natal, up to the Mozambique border.
For more information or to donate to the One Land Love It expedition, visit www.oneland.co.za