Trekkers have raised a whopping $68,000 in the Blue Mountains Trek for Timor event held on August 25.
The funds will go towards education, scholarships and women’s projects in the remote region of Hatobuilico in East Timor.
The chair of the organising committee, Dave Ludenia, said: “The event was an outstanding success, raising funds for the education and empowerment of the beautiful country and community in East Timor. These funds will go a long way in providing the access, resources and infrastructure for the remote communities we support.”
Some 150 walkers trekked 15, 30 or 50 kilometres in the Upper Mountains through fog, drizzle and some sunny moments.
Volunteers began marking the track the day before the trek and many turned up at 5am to set up at Wilson Park in Wentworth Falls for the start of the big event.
This year there were several special guests who welcomed the walkers and encouraged them on their way.
“Our ever supportive local Gundungurra and Darug Elder Carol Cooper was there again to welcome walkers from all over the state, and proud young East Timorese woman Domingas Soares joined her again this year, before heading off herself to trek the 15km with her team FoTo!,” said Susan Ambler from the trek organising committee.
“Walkers were also pleased to meet Padre Francisco, who is the parish priest and runs the secondary school in Hatobuilico region, and Frater Acacio, a community development worker and teacher support person, also in Hatobuilico.”
Many teams of walkers were returning, while others took on the challenge for the first time.
The speedy souls of the Upper Blueys walked 50km in a stunning 9 hours and 14 minutes, and the Wander Women, a first-time team who are keen to return next trek, made the best costume stakes with their star-studded headbands, wristbands and red socks.
The Bush Lemons team were not only the highest fundraisers, but were the fastest 30km team in 7 hours and 1 minute, and were up there in the best costume list with their fund-raising rainbow tutus. They offered to wear the tutus if they reached certain fundraising goals, and it worked.
Another new walking team, Within Normal Limits, were fastest in the 15km trek at 4 hours and 2 minutes.
“The Blue Mountains Trek for Timor organising committee would like to extend their grateful thanks to all who walked, volunteered, sponsored and worked on the 2018 Blue Mountains Trek for Timor,” Ms Ambler said.
“And then there are the wonderful volunteers. The six track marking and three sweep teams are often the ‘unseen’ vital volunteers. Track markers spend the whole day before the event marking 50km of tracks, and the sweep teams walk behind the last teams on each of the sections, take down all the markers that have been put up, clean up the track, and make sure that no-one has been left behind,” she said.
Walkers were cheered on by checkpoint volunteers, the patient souls who wait to cheer each team in, take their photo, hand out certificates and keep the paperwork in order.
Dedicated marshals were in all the right places at the right time, working from 6am to 10pm, being cheerful and encouraging, supporting the trekkers, keeping them safe and pointing them on to the right tracks.
Ms Ambler said the committee was also most appreciative of all the sponsors who helped get the trek off the ground this year.
Don’t forget to check the website http://trekfortimorbm.org.au to keep up with, or add to, the fundraising total. Donations to any of the teams are still being accepted until September 20.
