Supporters run up a great fundraising tally

Thanks to everyone who went the distance at Run Melbourne earlier this month to raise funds for Mission Australia services in Victoria.

The 16-person strong Run DMC from Digital Pictures, who raised almost $1,800, made up a large part of the 22 supporters who took to the streets to help raise money for services such as Charcoal Lane in Fitzroy and the Urban Renewal program. Together they raised a very much appreciated $2,698.

Among the runners was Emily Day (pictured on her way home after the run) who was decked out in a blue cap, red tights and neon-pink shorts and top. Despite a few wardrobe malfunctions, she had a great day – and exceeded both her personal best and fundraising target by pulling in $365.

“Yes, everyone at work was very generous!” she wrote this week. “The day was awesome, I wore a super-hero costume with a cape and despite the cape strangling me at various times during the course, I still managed a PB of 26 minutes 15 seconds for the 5km.

“I ran with my dad the whole way until the end when I pipped him at the post, which was good because he kept winning on our training runs!”

The marathon and fun-run season is still far from over, so you can still sponsor a runner who is trying to raise money for Mission Australia. We have 69 registrations for Sydney’s City2Surf on Sunday 14 August but still need plenty of support to reach our target.

If you’d like to get behind any of the teams running in support of Mission Australia – including those MA Team runners from our Sydney homeless services who are being coached by the Sydney Roosters - visit this page. You’ll also find links to other fundraising events, such as our 2011 Winter Sleepout.

Good luck to our Run Melbourne supporters

Mission Australia wishes all of our supporters taking part in Run Melbourne this weekend the best of luck.

Runners for Team Mission Australia in Melbourne and Digital Pictures’ Run DMC team will tread the city’s streets on Sunday to raise money for Mission Australia services in Victoria, including our Charcoal Lane social enterprise restaurant in Fitzroy and the Urban Renewal program.

They are part of a community of active supporters taking part in winter and spring fun runs and marathons in Perth, Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide to help fund our life-changing services.

Among the runners are several clients from our Sydney homeless services who are taking part in this year’s City2Surf on Sunday 14 August.

This morning, for the fifth week in a row, Sydney Roosters players led Mission Australia City2 Surf team members through a training session at the club’s HQ in Moore Park. Big thanks to Roosters Jake Friend (pictured with the MA Team’s Wayne), Lama Tasi, Ethan Lowe and Cheyse Blair for taking the time out to offer advice, fitness tips and motivation to our City2Surf Team. Also a huge thank you to the generous people from Fit for Good for kitting out the MA Team members with new shorts and drink bottles.

If you’d like to support the MA Team as they take on the City2Surf challenge next month, go to their City2Surf fundraising page.

If you’d like to get behind any of the teams running in support of Mission Australia, visit this page. You’ll also find links to other fundraising events, such as our 2011 Winter Sleepout.+

Kristin on her mark to make a difference

everydayhero.com.au/kristin_flanagan_GC

Mission Australia supporter Kristin Flanagan is gearing up to compete in the Gold Coast Marathon this weekend. Here she explains why the event is much more than just a test of endurance for her:

Just over 12 months ago I entered the Gold Coast Marathon event to run the 10km race. It was to be a very large milestone for me: marking the furthest I had ever run and the only time I had entered a running race that wasn’t a prerequisite at school. My family, friends and colleagues helped raise more than $500 for Mission Australia.

Over the past couple of months I have started running again and my sights are now set on completing a half marathon in the first week in July. Call me crazy, deluded, insane or just plain ill-advised: you’d probably be close to the truth. However, there is another reason apart from the obvious one of getting fit.

I worked at Mission Australia for two-and-a-half years, and although I no longer work there, I remain passionately committed to their extremely important and tireless work supporting Australians in need of assistance through their innovative programs and supportive framework. I figure if I can raise more than $500 for just doing a 10km race, chances are we may be able to raise more if I run even further. I have been blown away by contributions made by my friends, family and previous colleagues to my fundraising - together, we have raised just over $1,000.

For the record, I am not a runner. I don’t get a buzz from running and I don’t look forward to it like the passionate runners among us do. I get nervous before each run as I am worried I won’t make it and each step during a run is a hard. For me, this will be a labour of pain and test of my personal will in an attempt acknowledge and raise awareness for people who are less fortunate than myself.

I acknowledge their debilitating daily struggles, most of which I cannot even imagine, and I hope the contribution we can make through this fundraising attempt will be able to assist someone transform their life from one filled with despair to one of overflowing with hope.

Half marathon here we come...

If you would like to donate to support, please visit my page at everydayhero.com.au/kristin_flanagan_GC

How you can run for a reason
If you’re preparing up for a winter marathon or fun run, why not join Kirsten in helping Australians in need?

To support to Mission Australia while getting fit, simply follow one of the links below to your chosen event, register online and select Mission Australia as your charity of choice. We can help you set up your own unique fundraising page to share with your friends and family so that you can start fundraising to transform lives.

Events:

• Gold Coast Marathon, 2-3 July, goldcoastmarathon.com.au
• Run Melbourne, 17 July, runmelbourne.com.au
• City2Surf (Sydney), 14 August, city2surf.com.au
• City to Surf (Perth), 28 August, citytosurf.activ.asn.au
• Bridge to Brisbane, 1 September, bridgetobrisbane.com.au
• City-Bay (Adelaide), 18 September, city-bay.org.au
• Sydney Running Festival, 18 September, sydneyrunningfestival.com.au

Running for a reason

If you’re one of the thousands of runners gearing up for a winter marathon or fun run, why not take the opportunity to help out an Australian in need?

Events such as the upcoming Gold Coast Marathon, Run Melbourne, the Sydney City2Surf and Perth City to Surf, as well as running festivals in Brisbane, Adelaide and Sydney in Spring, can be much more than chances to get healthy and take on a personal challenge.

To support to Mission Australia while getting fit, simply follow one of the links below to your chosen event, register online and select Mission Australia as your charity of choice. We can help you set up your own unique fundraising page to share with your friends and family so that you can start fundraising to transform lives.

By getting behind Mission Australia this season you’ll be joining the Sydney Roosters, who are once again training clients from our Sydney men’s services for the City2Surf. This morning Roosters Jake Friend and Todd Carney met the group of 30 men they will work with over the next two months in preparation for the 14 August challenge.

Events:

• Gold Coast Marathon, 2-3 July, goldcoastmarathon.com.au
• Run Melbourne, 17 July, runmelbourne.com.au
• City2Surf (Sydney), 14 August, city2surf.com.au
• City to Surf (Perth), 28 August, citytosurf.activ.asn.au
• Bridge to Brisbane, 1 September, bridgetobrisbane.com.au
• City-Bay (Adelaide), 18 September, city-bay.org.au
• Sydney Running Festival, 18 September, sydneyrunningfestival.com.au

Get active and make a difference

The winter running season is almost here, with a host of marathons, fun runs and half-marathons planned across the country over the coming months.

There’s the Gold Coast Marathon on the weekend of 2-3 July, Run Melbourne on 17 July, the Sydney City2Surf on 14 August and the Perth City to Surf on 28 August, with more events planned in Brisbane, Adelaide and Sydney during September.

These events not only offer a great chance to get healthy and take on a challenge, but also the opportunity to help raise funds for Mission Australia’s work with disadvantaged Australians.

Simply follow one of the links below to your chosen event, register online and select Mission Australia as your charity of choice. We can help you set up your own unique fundraising page to share with your friends and family so that you can start fundraising to transform lives.

If you’re planning to take part in the Sydney City2Surf or the Gold Coast Marathon you’ll have to move quickly as earlybird registrations (with a discounted entry fee) for both events close on 1 June.

So why not get moving to make a difference this winter?

Events

• Gold Coast Marathon, 2-3 July, goldcoastmarathon.com.au
• Run Melbourne, 17 July, runmelbourne.com.au
• City2Surf (Sydney), 14 August, city2surf.com.au
• City to Surf (Perth), 28 August, citytosurf.activ.asn.au
• Bridge to Brisbane, 1 September, bridgetobrisbane.com.au
• City-Bay (Adelaide), 18 September, city-bay.org.au
• Sydney Running Festival, 18 September, sydneyrunningfestival.com.au