Challenge to Safety People to get behind a worthy cause
A couple of weeks ago Graham Dent posted the on his Linkedin group Work Health Safety (OHS) Leadership for All (Australia) some details of a Triathlon he is competing in on March 24th to raise funds for The Very Special Kids Foundation (I’ve reprinted his post below where you will find further details).
Moments ago, active Group Member, the inimitable Merv Sher from Sher Associates commented: Despite numerous pleas for contributions I have noted that the support for this worthy endeavour from this Group is about on par with industry acceptance of the SIA – almost non-existent! This is a great shame, for if ever there was a catalyst that could bring us all together under one banner (other than this Group itself) it should be this worthy cause.
Merv has offered to donate half of any professional fees, from any Group Member, to the cause. A noble gesture Merv and one that has inspired and challenged me to also get behind this great cause:
Between now and the event, I will personally donate $5 for every comment made on this blog post that supports Graham and what he is doing. I will also donate $50 for every decent, interesting and original article about any safety or risk management topic (but it must include a line of support for Graham also) that is sent to me by a Safety Professional and is worthy of publishing on this blog. Send to admin@safetyrisk.com.au
Dave Collins
Grahams Linkedin Group Post:
OK, 5 months ago I posted that I was planning to enter the Asia Pacific Ironman Triathlon, being hosted in Melbourne.
That is a 3.8 km swim, 180 km cycle and a full marathon, i.e. 42.2 km run – back to back of course. It’s on 24 March – 35 days away at the time posting this message. I had intended to do it last year as well, but a cycling accident and fractured thoracic put an end to that. So I posted that I was also seeking donations for the Very Special Kids Foundation, a group which supports families with very ill children, children with life threatening conditions, many of whom will never see adulthood.
As a parent I cannot imagine how hard it would be to have such an ill child, still having to work, to support your other children, to keep life moving while your heart is breaking … for years and years ..
I stopped promoting my fundraising in mid October when I tore a cartilage and ligament in my hip. For more than 6 weeks I had trouble walking, stairs were a joke and even getting in and out of the car was a painful experience. I have an appointment to see if I need surgery but cannot even get to see the specialist until the end of March. In the meantime I found a great physio who works on what people CAN DO, not what they cannot and set me a tailored hip rehab program.
I missed 13 weeks of running and 9 weeks off the bike, but finally I am moving again SO THE IRONMAN IS BACK ON. The hardest part is the running as my hip is still not great, but I started 4 weeks ago with a week of 3 x 2 km runs, then 3 x 4, 3 x5 and last week I did a 6, 6 and 10 .. ouch, but also woo hoo ! So I’ve got another 3 weeks to build my running up (then 2 weeks “taper”) to set myself to run a marathon (after the swim and cycle). It’s a pretty ambitious target, but I am pretty sure I can do it.
As a result of all my lost time I am not setting myself a goal other than to finish.
► SO WHAT IS THE POINT OF THIS POST ?
I WOULD REALLY LOVE YOUR SUPPORT through a donation to Very Special Kids …
but wait there is more … no, not a set of steak knives, it’s much better than that! Not only does your donation ensure I will do all I can and spend all day pushing myself to the limit (and a long time recovering) …■ BUT as bonus, if I hit $1500 in total sponsorships before the National Shave for a Cure weekend (14 – 17 March) I will also shave my head (and post a bald profile pick to prove it). Now many of you will say that is not much of an offer based on my photo, but if it gets me a few extra dollars (a dollar for each hair ?) for Very Special Kids then so be it.
Now, I am making an exception to my Group rules and I will shamelessly push this over the coming weeks. If I am going to half, or 99% kill myself I would like to raise as much as possible for doing so.► SUPPORT here
To make a Donation (which is tax deductible and receipts are issued via online) please go here – and please ANY amount assists http://bit.ly/Rj7Jqi
► Learn more about Very Special Kids here: http://bit.ly/NQkZmm
► MORE ABOUT THE IRONMAN event on 24 March 2013
here – http://bit.ly/RSXEeM
Do you have any thoughts? Please share them below