Birthday champion Greta Wilson (who previously swam multiple icy laps to make a difference in the lives of dogs) was up to some birthday good again recently. This time honouring her Boxer Kerneelz, the old boy’s big day was not without impact!
Cape Town, South Africa (04 January 2024) — When Greta Wilson was preparing to celebrate the 15th birthday of her precious pooch Kerneelz, the opportunity to make a difference presented itself like a familiar gift. No stranger to making birthdays impactful, Greta decided to dedicate Kerneelz’s resilient milestone to the heroes at Funda Nenja—an organisation she has etched in her heart.
Funda Nenja, an animal wellness and dog training initiative that teaches children to be agents of change for animals, was met with a lot of support from Greta last year. This was especially evident in her incredibly brave pursuits involving icy swims that featured multiple laps in temperatures starting as low as 12 degrees.
Despite only raising just under half the amount for her efforts, Greta got back in the water at a later point and successfully scored around R26,000 for Funda Nenja’s mission.
For Kerneelz’s big day, Greta decided to leave the icy swims behind in exchange for an essentials fundraiser that involved flat collars, leashes and harnesses. As Funda Nenja is run in Mpophomeni township and relies heavily on community support and donations, every effort means a lot.
Like the organisation, Kerneelz the boxer is a fighter who has experienced a myriad of health bouts—including partial paralysis. Kerneelz making it to his 15th birthday was not an easy walk. As such, it was commended with not one, but two special cakes on the day (including one from his vet).
Beyond another year, Kerneelz also got the great gift of being a positive change instigator for other dogs who need a helping paw.
As for birthday champion Greta, she tells Good Things Guy that she’ll be back in the water soon for another fundraising mission. Until then, you can keep up with the organisation so close to her heart here.
Sources: Greta Wilson
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