The Bloody Long Walk Gold Coast- 35Km
Challenge to Cure Mito
There’s
nothing like starting the day on the beach, watching the sun come up over the
Gold Coast, to make you glad you’re alive. it’s just a beautiful, peaceful
thing to do … the day is so quiet, whether it’s at the beginning or the end …
and looking up at the sky really gives you that moment of Zen.
Sunrises and
sunsets are actually incredibly hard because that window of opportunity is so
small. There’s always that one moment that’s so much better than the others.
Lately I have been capturing some amazing colours because we have more aerosols
in the atmosphere — caused by things like smoke or dust that scatter the light
— combined with quite stable conditions. We’re seeing inversions in the lower
levels of atmosphere and mid to high level cloud that really show off the
scattered light.
We were
up early with 750 people who were waling 35km across the Gold Coast to
participate in The Bloody Long Walk, a national fundraising initiative for the
Mito Foundation.
Strapping
on their sneakers whilst being waived off by the Federal Member for Moncrieff, Angie
Bell MP, participants walked for over 7 hours, nearly 47,000 steps, from Miami
all the way through to Broadbeach. The Gold Coast community was unbelievable
with their support of the Mito Foundation and The Bloody Long Walk, which is
one of ten Bloody Long Walks taking place across Australia over the next few
months. Mito is a debilitating genetic disorder that robs the body’s cells of
energy. It can cause multiple organ failure and potentially death, and can
affect anyone at any age. The funds generated from The Bloody Long Walk will
support Australian families whose lives have been rocked by Mito. They will
also go towards vital research and education.
We took
some start photos at Pizzey Park, Miami and cheered the participants on their
scenic 35-kilometre course
towards Tallebudgera Creek and Currumbin before heading back up the coastline
to Broadbeach. During the
walk, there were 5 Checkpoints providing water, fruit and sunscreen, ensuring
that each participant made it to the finish line. We first helped out at Checkpoint
3 at Martin Sheils Park. The park commemorates former mailman for the district,
Martin Sheils, who also provided a passenger and grocery order service from
1922 to 1946. Once most participants passed through we move onto Checkpoint 5,
then onto the Finish Line. It was a fantastic atmosphere throughout the day,
along with great support crowd that encompassed all ages and backgrounds.
It was a great way to tour the Gold Coast while supporting a worthy cause. With our busy lives, it can be hard to find time to volunteer. However, the benefits of volunteering have been enormous. Volunteering offers vital help to people in need, worthwhile causes, and the community, but the benefits can be even greater for the volunteer. The right match can help you to find friends, connect with the community, learn new skills, and even advance your career.
Giving to others can
also help protect your mental and physical health. It can reduce stress, combat
depression, keep you mentally stimulated, and provide a sense of purpose. While
it’s true that the more you volunteer, the more benefits you’ll experience,
volunteering doesn’t have to involve a long-term commitment or take a huge
amount of time out of your busy day. Giving in even simple ways can help those
in need and improve your health and happiness.
It was
a fantastic day, perfect weather and we enjoyed ourselves. The walkers
certainly enjoyed having the volunteers company. There have been so many
comments praising the volunteers on Facebook
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