As the song goes, “these boots are made for walking” and so too are pants, 20 pairs of pants to be exact.
The Pants of Power are a Blue Mountains based group of 19 women and one man, who will tackle Oxfam Trailwalker’s 50km event in Sydney on August 26.
Divided into five teams of four people, The Pants of Power have been in training for months for the event, which they say is a great way to tackle poverty and contribute to communities less fortunate than ourselves.
Freedom Wilson travelled to Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea recently, and saw first hand how Oxfam projects were helping improve sanitation, creating sustainable jobs for farmers and providing educating programs around gender-based violence.
She’s looking forward to raising money for a good cause while testing herself on the trails. She, like many other members of the group, have participated in 30km fundraising walks in the past, and decided this year to up the ante to a 50km challenge.
We start singing Madonna songs and all the songs since 1984.
- Fiona Gibson
“It’s a long way, and it’s how you get through that mentally,” said group member Keris Macarthur.
“There needs to be quiet time where we can go into our own space.”
“After 17km we get silly,” said Fiona Gibson. “We start singing Madonna songs and all the songs since 1984.”
But all agreed it would be the final 10km, walking in the dark by headlight after more than 12 hours on their feet which would be the most challenging.
They’ve been primarily training in the Mountains, with a few trips to Sydney to familiarise themselves with the course, which starts at Bobbin Head and continues along the 100km Oxfam trail for the majority of the walk.
The group are hoping to raise $10,000 for Oxfam, and their major fundraiser will be held on Sunday, July 30 at Sunday Motors in Megalong St, Katoomba. They will be auctioning off 50 things from 2.30pm – everything from green chutney, to artwork, a family pass to Camp Street Climbing, wine, a yowie tour, dinner at the Leura Garage and lots more. The group members said they were very appreciative of local businesses who had donated goods and time to the fundraiser.
The event runs from 12.30pm to 4.30pm and includes a sausage sizzle and bar (cash only), and face painting for the kids.
“Come along for a good bargain and to support a good cause,” said Freedom Wilson.