FUNRUN
By BLAKE METCALF-HOLT
AS 9am struck on the morning of Sunday, March 22, Dannielle Sherman was overwhelmed with emotion when addressing the countless locals that had participated and volunteered at Newborough’s Joe Carmody Athletics Track.
The Moe Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal committee completed a monster 24-hour fun run initiative, seeing more than 80 participants get involved across the weekend, running and walking across night and day to raise money for the Royal Children’s Hospital.
In the week leading into Good Friday, where the local charity branch will keep its fundraiser open until the day of, it has raised over $17,000.
Many local businesses and families came together to make the 24-hour fun run go as smoothly as possible, and support the work of Moe’s committee members throughout the event’s duration.
Sherman, co-organiser of the 24-hour fun run with husband Paul, said that the community response and support exceeded all expectations.
“(It went) beyond anything I could have possibly wished for,” she told the Express.
“The amount of people that got down there, the amount of people that were actually on the track for that last hour and finished with us, I was lost for words and cried my eyes out trying to sort of thank everybody at the end.”
During the course of Saturday, March 21, people of all ages, young and old, could be seen getting their steps up by circling the running track, as teams undertook multiple-hour blocks to complete the day’s-long relay.
A mother took her two sons around the track, and after every completed lap, the young siblings dropped a gold coin into the tin.
While teams made up of either families or friends put their hands up well in advance of the event, additional people showed up to take part on the day.
“I think that was the thing that got me emotional, that people (who) weren’t in teams, they came down to walk or run with somebody,” Dannielle said.
“I just think what every person, whether they ran or walked, brought to the event is why it was so successful.”
By the time it got deep into the cold, dark night, there was notably still laughter and a fun environment, knowing what they were there for.
Not only did young people forgo a night on the town, but senior citizens even got down during the course of the 24 hours, as well as local masseuses supporting the participants.
Head of the Moe RCH Good Friday Appeal Committee, Sue Bechaz was even spotted doing laps at 3.30am.
The Lions Club of Moe were also on deck, lending a hand with the barbecue during the day.
Dannielle, who has been on the Moe RCH Good Friday Appeal committee for more than 10 years, has completed a number of fundraising events in her time.
All up, she’s raised over $100,000 through challenges, Easter fun days and leading a swarm of locals at the Melbourne Run for the Kids event (which was held at the weekend).
Her charitable nature stems from her son Kye regularly being in and out of the Royal Children’s Hospital across the first 10 years of his life, requiring three brain surgeries .
“We were in there for a Christmas period once, and were spoilt with movie tickets and my daughter got presents on the bed … we just couldn’t believe the support that families got from the hospital. Not just him, but us,” she said.
“From that moment onwards, we’ve always said that we would fundraise until we die, just for the fact of giving back, because if the hospital didn’t do what they had done for Kye, maybe he wouldn’t be living the adventurous life that he is.”
Coming from a very active family, Kye currently works as an activities leader at Waratah Beach Camp, also personifying the work RCH staff did in allowing him to get past the ailments in his early childhood to fully live his life.
Dannielle’s fundraisers include a recent 24-hour spin bike challenge, which raised $6800, as well as being acknowledged as the highest individual fundraiser during her first Run for the Kids.
To donate to the Moe RCH Good Friday Appeal fundraiser and help them get past their target of $20,000, visit: fundraise.goodfridayappeal.com.au/fundraisers/Moe987
