Take Your Teddy to Work Day

Everybody remembers their first teddy bear – and for many of us, they remain a source of comfort and companionship well into our adult life. Some enjoy a jetsetting lifestyle with their glamorous owners, others simply get a space  next to the pillow and a cuddle before bed.

Allowing your favourite furry friend to hang out with you at work or at play, the annual international fun day, Take your Teddy Bear to Work day is being observed worldwide tomorrow, (Saturday). Showing off their furry friends are twin sisters Nicola Eaton Gutzeit (in white) and Melissa Eaton (in blue) from Margate with Fudgey the dog and Wartie the Warthog. The twins both have a keen passion for wild life, animals and game reserves with a soft spot for dogs and warthogs.

The two golfing sisters are gearing up for the upcoming Cell C SA Women’s Open tournament that starts next week (16 – 19 October) at the picturesque course at San Lameer Country Club. Fudgey and Wartie will be accompanying the twins as they tackle the greens along with a strong field of international and national golfers.

The Teddy Bear made famous by American President, Theodore Rosevelt in 1902 is an essential item when growing up and often these furry little friends turn into great travelling companions and good luck charms. They hang off tog-bags in a variety of sporting codes.

Olympic Bronze Medallist, Bridgitte Hartley admits, “I have teddy bears as I love the little mascots. I have collected them from Olympics and some world championship events but they aren’t my lucky charms. Most of them sit proudly at my Mom’s house in Richard’s Bay. My little furry friends come from the Beijing and London Olympics, a bear from Canada and my most recent addition is one from Russia. I have Mandeville and Wenlock from London, Nini from Beijing, a Takalani Sesame Street bear from Canada where I won my k1 1000m medal at world champs in 2009. I guess London was special from my medal, so I collected a few bears there. I also have a white bear from my Pretoria High School reunion. I would say my bears are more like memories than lucky charms.”

Local lass, Olympic Marathon Runner Tanith Maxwell travels with her teddy bear. Durban’s top athlete states, “It is a small ‘wee fuzz’ bear simply named Fuzz. He is extremely special because he comes from a collector in New Zealand!”

Canadian Olympic bobsledder, American Basketball player and Hollywood actor, Howard Dell who shattered records in last year’s World Transplant Games in Durban travels with his fluffy bunny. Dell states, “Oddly I affectionately call him Bunny but his real name is Luther. He isn’t travelling with me at the moment as I compete in Romania but usually he does!” the gorgeous athlete said.

Admitting to having a lucky charm, Olympic Marathon runner Rene Kalmer who has just returned from Berlin having run a personal best time, always travels with her lucky pillow.

Golfing great, Tiger Woods lucky charm is wearing a red shirt on Sundays at major tournaments and has since he stepped onto the professional stage. The colour is said to honour is alma mater, Stanford , and it is believed it is his mother’s favourite colour. His niece, Cheyenne  will be one of the top players participating in the Cell C SA Women’s Open tournament.

South Africa’s oldest women’s professional golf tournament will feature the country’s leading professionals competing against a strong international field representing at least 20 countries for a total purse of €320 000. The tournament will be co-sanctioned by the Ladies European Tour and the Women’s Professional Golf Association of South Africa.

For more info visit www.sawomensopen.co.za

Pix by Justin Klusener and supplied by athletes