Cambridge Community House (CCH) is more than $6000 better off thanks to the efforts of two recent fundraisers – one by an individual and the other a group event.
Taking a break from the action are, from left, Strength Nation Gym’s Cam Woods, event founder Gerard ‘Ger’ Sheehan, Cambridge Community House (CCH) general manager Gabby Byrne and community development manager Francis Radloff. Photo: Viv Posselt
The more recent of the two was a Rowing Marathon Fundraiser on March 15. It was the second such event for CCH and held at Cambridge’s Strength Nation Gym in Oliver St.
Supporters of all ages and abilities tagged in and out throughout the day, winding up with an impressive 1,111,068 metres either rowed, ridden or erged on the gym’s machines… slightly over their target distance of one million completed metres.
Overall, the event raised around $6000 for CCH.
Manning the food station during the row-athon are Cambridge Community House’s Sandra Muirhead, left, and Amy Watkins. Photo: Viv Posselt
One of Strength Nation Gym’s co-owners, Cam Woods, said it was the first big event they had hosted since opening six months ago.
CCH coffers also benefitted from the solo efforts of Cambridge chiropractor Dr Shelley Parker. Her completion of the February 15 Tarawera Ultramarathon in Rotorua raised over $1600 for the organisation.
Parker finished the distance – her longest run to date – in 6 hours 25 minutes, and readily admitted she found it ‘brutal’ in parts.
“It was like eating an elephant one mouthful at a time … it just came down to taking one step at a time.”
After a couple of day’s break, she’s back into her training regime and reckons she’d be up for another charity run sometime in the future.
CCH community development manager Francis Radloff said both types of fundraisers were important for boosting the organisation’s donation chest.
Supporters of the row-athon hard at it at the start of the day. Event founder Cambridge Rowing PT’s/Juice Plus+ partner, Gerard ‘Ger’ Sheehan, is in green, second right at the back. Photo: Viv Posselt
Shelley Parker
