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Lines striding out for charity
Sandy Galbraith, Melbourne
Shipping lines MSC and Pacific Direct Line took part in Oxfam Trailwalker Challenges on either side of the Tasman last month. Four MSC staff members from the company’s Australian offices, Lester Davies and Alan Sims, and New Zealand office, Haddon Lock and Kevin Cooper, took part in this year’s challenge in Melbourne.
This worthwhile fundraising event is an extraordinary endurance challenge in which teams of four complete a 100km cross-country trail within 48 hours – the MSC team hoped to go one step further by completing the challenge in less than 30 hours.
The good news is that the boys completed the challenge in 27 hr 39 min.
Furthermore, they finished in the top 100 out of 500 teams – with a quarter of the teams not completing the event.
Donations are still rolling in, but it looks like the MSC team raised more than $15,000.
All funds raised help support development and relief programs in disadvantaged communities in over 26 countries, including indigenous Australia.
Meanwhile, two groups of PDL staff – the PDL Panthers and the PDL Pumas – were taking part in a trail around Lake Taupo in New Zealand.
The PDL Panthers were Phillippa Ravel, Michelle Brunt, Tammy Hamawi and Olivier Ravel, while the PDL Pumas comprised Gaewyn Evans, Alanna Aarts of Balle Bros Exports (a PDL client), Duncan Evans and James Ratu.
There were 187 teams in the New Zealand charity event.
The first placed team was an international entrant, who completed the course in 11 hr 48 min.
PDL Panthers finished 77th in 25hr 32 min, with PDL Pumas finishing 99th in 26 hr, 55 min PDL raised NZ$18,000 for charity with the help and support of many clients and business partners.
Photo Caption: LAKE TAUPO TRAMPERS: The PDL Panthers rigged up for their Kiwi walk are, from left, Phillippa Ravel, Michelle Brunt, Tammy Hamawi and Olivier Ravel.
Out and About – Oxfam 100KM challenge May 18, 2006
