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Students run 160 kilometres for charity
A group of Geelong Grammar School students completed an epic 160 kilometre relay run, from Corio to Lorne and back again, on Thursday 20 September, to raise money for local charity SecondBite.
The Year 11 students battled windy conditions on the return leg from Lorne along the Great Ocean Road, completing the journey in under 15 hours having raised a record $67,000 to support SecondBite redistribute surplus fresh food to community food programmes in the Geelong region.
Established in Geelong in 2009, SecondBite has rescued and redistributed more than 150,000 kilograms of food to 37 community food programmes in Geelong that support people who are homeless, women and families in crisis, youth at risk, indigenous communities, asylum seekers and new arrivals.
SecondBite fundraising and partnership manager, Stuart Lowe, said that $67,000 was the biggest single contribution to the charity and would have significant impact on its ability to facilitate its safe and timely food distribution to people in need and help provide an additional 150,000 meals.
Year 11 student Sophie Kebell said it was a good feeling to be able to make a positive difference to the lives of those in need.
"I'm extremely tired but feeling very accomplished," she said.
"The whole school was here to see us in, which was so fun and such a good experience."
The annual run, dubbed the Lorne 160, was initially undertaken in 1991 and has a strong tradition at the School, raising money for a wide range of charities over the past two decades.
"Each year the Lorne 160 team discusses and decides on the local charity that it will support," Vice Principal Charlie Scudamore said.
"This year’s group chose SecondBite and have consequently undertaken a number of fundraising initiatives prior to the run that have engaged the whole school community, raising both awareness and money. It is a very valuable lesson for our students about service and giving something back to the wider community."