When you ask
Daniel Vignal (D42) about the race, he doesn’t
talk about sprains or blisters. He speaks about his non-profit-making
organisation, Sable Jaune. This race is a humanitarian expedition
for him and his four other runner-friends who make up the team.
Their aim? To raise funds to buy equipment for an association in
Ouarzazate : 20 bikes, sports equipment (25 balls, clothes…),
materials for schools, 600 kilos of new children’s clothes.
Last but not least : two Boxer vans. But our generous postmen don’t
stop there. They also are working on developping a town-twinning
scheme between Saint Etienne and Meknes, focusing on activities
concerning public health and town management. Neither the scale
of their projects, nor the number of kilometers of sand deter these
men from St Etienne who are sponsored by Driss Maazouzi.
A little further on under the bivouac, another friendly team “un
defi un regard”, is also running for a noble cause : They
aim to broaden awareness as regards the mentally handicapped, drawing
attention to their specific needs and difficulties, as well as
the lack of sufficient aid organisations…What’s unique
about this is that it is being carried out in Morocco as well as
in France. On the French side, there is the Strasbourg-based charity
called Association des Parents de Personnes Handicapee Mentales
et de leurs Amis, ( AAPEI) and on the Moroccan side, the team is
running for the charity Anais, Association Nationale pour l’Avenir
des Inadaptes Scolaires. Logical then, to see French and Moroccan
runners side by side with the same shared aim : to change the way
people perceive the mentally handicapped. An inspiration to us
all.