The toys represent victims of violent crime, beginning with the two closest to Legacy CEO and co-founder, Bart Dorrestein. The first, his co-partner Bruno Corte, gunned down in a shopping centre in 2002 and the second his 25-year-old son Bart (jun), killed last year in an attempted hijacking.
With the company logo being two lion heads, the first two toys are the lions, representing Bart (small lion) and Bruno (large lion). The other animals are the dolphin - Steven Siebert, giraffe - Leigh Matthews, rhino - David Rattray, cheetah - Marissa Naidoo and monkey - Brett Goldin.
All proceeds from the sale of toys will be placed in a trust account. Once sufficient monies are raised, the board will choose a transparent and material manner in which the funds can be dispersed and wherever possible actual physical product will be generated or donated rather than disbursing monies to beneficiaries.
The toys, bearing a victim's name, costs R150 each and are available from all Legacy Hotels and Resorts and online from Netflorist on www.netflorist.co.za.
The children's board game offers, in an entertaining manner, valuable life lessons, morals and an understanding of accountability for decisions and actions that children take as they get older.
“We believe the game is unique. It is an experiential learning tool whereby players teach themselves and others whilst playing the game,” says Mike Rowley of Legacy. “The game is an AO environmental map which requires no other pieces or tools. It can be played by as many players as desired and what is more it crosses cultural and language barriers. In addition, there are no stipulated time limits or requirements - in fact it really is quite different and valuable.”
“Essentially we need to rebuild the moral fibre of the citizens of this historically troubled, yet magnificent country,” says Bart Dorrestein. “Kids need to be taught at junior school what they should and should not do if they want to live happy and fruitful lives. They need to be taught from scratch what is right and wrong and, with even more children being orphaned because of HIV Aids, the need is greater than ever before. We are essentially dealing with a lost generation that basically lives on survival instinct alone as there is nothing else, not even their parents to teach them life's crucial lessons.”
During 2009, several corporates have joined in the overall initiative. These include Netflorist; Espial Advertising, the company's official branding and design partner; Trainiac, specialists in graphic based learner solutions who have partnered with it to produce the ‘Learner Map'; as well as KPMG who are the auditing partners for the initiative.
Large corporates are currently being approached to purchase board branding and partner with the company on the board game, which it intends moving into the school education system as soon as possible.
