40 for Fortey fundraiser for Queensland Police Legacy
Hundreds of runners laced up their running shoes and donned spectacular team outfits for the 40 for Fortey running event. SEE THE PHOTOS.
Toowoomba
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Seven years on from the tragic death of Senior Constable Brett Forte, an annual running fundraiser jogs on in his memory, gathering money for families of officers who died on duty.
Early on Sunday morning, Toowoomba runners laced up their shoes for the 6th annual 40 for Fortey run. The run kicked off at the Toowoomba Show Grounds at 6.30am on June 2.
Senior Constable Louise Macdonald started the event in 2018, a year after Constable Forte’s death.
Constable Macdonald said the intention was to run the event every year, in Constable Fort’s memory, to raise money for the Queensland Police Legacy.
Queensland Police Legacy provides financial support and assistance to families who have lost a parent in duty on the police service, or the families of police officers battling a terminal illness, Constable Macdonald said.
She said since 2018, the event has gone ahead every year, bar 2020, to great success.
“We have raised over $75,000 since the event started in 2018,” Constable Macdonald said.
She said this year was one of the biggest turnouts to date, with about 450 runners in total.
“67 teams took part in the 40km relay event,” Constable Macdonald said.
“We had seven solo runners who did the full 40 themselves.”
This year was also the first year of the schools competition, with Centenary Heights State High School taking out the top spot.
“It’s always a really good atmosphere,” Constable Macdonald said.
Rachel McNaughton said she has participated in the event every year.
She said many of her friends are police officers, which is why the annual event is important to her.
Ms McNaughton is a regular runner, but she said she’s not really in it to win the running competition. Instead, Ms McNaughton is part of a team renowned for elaborate and fabulous costumes.
Last year, Ms McNaughton’s team won the best dressed competition with a Cat and the Hat themed group costume. This year, her team attempted to reclaim that title with a Flintstones theme, complete with a Flintstones car.
Ms McNaughton said the car, a hefty prop at 50kg, was too much for the team to run the whole 40km with, but it made its way around the course for their final lap.
“It’s always such a great community event,” Ms McNaughton said.
She said the team already has plenty of ideas on the drawing board for next year’s event.
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