100kms for 100 kids

While most Walk My Way participants found treading one course in the ALWS community event enough of a challenge, St John’s Perth Pastor Peter Hage now has three such treks of more than 25 kilometres under his soles – and is eyeing off a fourth, all in the name of supporting refugee children to go to school.

Pastor Peter, who is also chair of the ALWS Board of Directors, on Saturday joined 47 other registered walkers in the 25-kilometre Western Australia event from Warnbro to San Remo in Perth’s southern suburbs, having completed the 26-kilometre Pioneer Women’s Trail through the Adelaide Hills only two weeks before.

He is now keen to take on the 25-kilometre Sunshine Coast Walk My Way course on 4 August. Add that to the fact he did the Perth course prior to the official walk as part of the event’s risk assessment, and he’s looking at walking 100 kilometres to match the 100 children his fundraising efforts will help send to school.

Every $26 raised helps to support one child living in refugee camps in Kenya and Dijbouti in Africa to go to school for one year.

Pastor Peter said he understood some people would think he was ‘a glutton for punishment’ for doing more than one Walk My Way. ‘My goal was to raise enough to support 100 children to go to school – and I reached that on the Friday evening before the (Perth) walk’, he said. ‘It was a joy to participate with the big group in Adelaide and again here in Perth. I wanted to raise money for 100 children, so perhaps I should walk 100 kilometres to do it!’

As of 30 April, Western Australian Walk My Way participants had raised $21,425 for the cause, part of an overall total of $164,755 raised by more than 450 walkers including people in Northern Territory and Victoria – which will support education needs for 6336 children.

In addition to Pastor Peter, three other pastors took up the challenge in Perth: Western Australia District Bishop Mike Fulwood, Pastor Matt Bishop and Pastor Andre Meyer. Between them, they have raised $8487 to date. Participants in the latest walk ranged in age from their 80s to toddlers, while more than 20 volunteers helped in a variety of ways, including preparing and serving food, marshalling and giving directions, first aid and bus driving.

It’s not too late to donate. Go to walkmyway.org.au/donate