Cordwalles Prep School’s elephant eco-mascot has had quite the year of adventures! From being involved in an ellie heist to being rescued by the Mi7 and raising empowering funds, it’s no wonder this Cordies’ elephant has won the Green Ellie Award!
Pietermaritzburg, South Africa (03 December 2024) — It’s been a particularly busy year for Cordwalles Preparatory School’s eco-elephant mascot. But all the heists, rescues, hard work and moments of laughter in between have paid off well; the Cordies’ Ellie has officially earned the Keep Pietermaritzburg Action Group’s Green Ellie Award!
In case you’re out of the loop, the Cordies’ ellie began its year of adventures shortly after being lovingly created by the school. This was part of the KPCA’s initiative ‘Create an Ellie and Fill His Belly’—a bid to get more learners and community members to recycle, become eco-conscious, and put the fun in fundraising.
Despite being a very young non-profit, KPCA has already made a massive difference for their community thanks to clever initiatives like the ellie challenge.
While many schools participated, the Cordies ellie would go on to have a year like no other.
In May, this ellie was involved in a hilarious ordeal that put him on the map after a heist by a rival school, Wykeham Collegiate School for Girls, unfolded.
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Despite being held for ransom and nearly trading his blue coat for Wykeham yellow, the ellie was heroically rescued by Athlone Primary School alongside none other than the Mi7 National Group!
After this, the Cordies ellie became a crowd-favourite at many fundraising initiatives, including Donuts for Donations, cake sales and the KPCA Paint-a-Thon in honour of Mandela Day (where Mayor Mzimkhulu Thebolla got to meet him).
The mascot also went on to help other schools with their own environmental missions and even got kitted out with wheels for the Ellie Trail at St Charles College. Not to mention, he also attended the Capital Climb—all along with rand and can collecting, that would empower the Chief Albert Luthuli Bridge painting project.
So, when the KPCA team considered elephants worthy of the Green Ellie Award, the Cordies’ creation was a no-brainer.
“Congratulations to Cordies, your delightful ellie has brought a spirit of joy to [Pietermaritzburg],” shared the team. “It has given so many schools the opportunity to Fun-raise, to make PMB clean, neat, beautiful and green.”
As for this ellie’s next adventure, he’s been challenged to play a part in the Midmar Mile!
For the City of the Elephants, the ellie challenge has been a proud run. For South Africa as a whole, its been an epic example of eco-action done through joy, and we can’t wait to see more initiatives like it!
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