Ravenswood school groundsman Robert Lee pledges to walk over 200km for RFDS
A school groundsman whose rural town relies on the Royal Flying Doctor Service for medical check-ups, has pledged to walk over 200kms in October for the RFDS’ Ocean to Outback challenge. See how you can help him.
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A school groundsman whose rural town relies on the Royal Flying Doctor Service for medical check-ups, has pledged to lace up the walking shoes and march over 200kms in October for the RFDS’ Ocean to Outback challenge.
Ravenswood’s Robert Lee has a firm plan to smash the RFDS fundraiser challenge, setting his sights on walking 13kms or more daily in October.
“I did the Ocean to Outback challenge last year as a team event, but this year I’m going solo and I’m pushing much more,” the 63-year-old said.
“If I average 13kms a day, I can get 403km for the month.”
The RFDS’ Ocean to Outback challenge encourages people across Australia to walk, run or swim a certain distance between the first and last day of October for charity.
Last year the Ocean to Outback event raised $3.5 million for the RFDS, but Mr Lee said he’s noticed not many people in the north know about the challenge.
“I can’t find many other people doing it up here,” he said.
“Ocean to Outback have their own leaderboard based on how much money you’ve raised, and my aim is to be on the top of that leaderboard.”
With family, friends, and almost all of Ravenswood behind him, the semi-retired school worker is pretty sure he can go the distance.
The town is even planning an October 31 ‘End of Walk’ party to celebrate the last day of fundraising, where Mr Lee will walk 20kms from Kirt River to the Imperial Hotel for a raffle, cook up and prizes.
Mr Lee said he’s proud to support the RFDS, who travel into Ravenswood every month to look after elderly residents.
“My mum retired to Ravenswood, and they looked after her well,” he said.
During the warm-up phase in September, Mr Lee has already managed to raise $5,800 for the RFDS and is hanging onto the top of the national leader board.
Check his progress at oceanstooutback.org.au/leaderboards
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Originally published as Ravenswood school groundsman Robert Lee pledges to walk over 200km for RFDS
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