A bumper crowd of 25,000 joined in the Herald Sun-Transurban Run for the Kids last Sunday: running, walking and wheeling their way to raising $1.3 million for the Royal Children's Hospital's Good Friday Appeal.
Run for the Kids is now in its 18th year and is a fantastic opportunity for people to experience Melbourne from some interesting perspectives. The short (4.7 km) course takes participants over the Bolte Bridge, and the long (14.4 km) course also includes a tour of the Domain Tunnel - places most of us only get to experience while driving.
All up, participants and their supporters raised a whopping $1.22 million for the Royal Children's Hospital's annual appeal, with Transurban donating an extra $80,000 to round the total out. The event was a sell-out, with many return runners saying they relish the festive vibes.
As second-time winner of the women's long course, Charlotte Wilson, said: "… with everyone supporting you, it's such a great atmosphere and I'm glad to be back doing it. The work that we put in is nothing compared to what these kids have to fight against so if I put myself through a little bit of pain it's worth it."
Transurban has been supporting this event since the first race in 2006 - helping raise vital funds for the Royal Children's Hospital. Our CEO, Michelle Jablko, who was on the course with Transurban's 750-strong team of employees, family and friends, says of the event:
"It's a privilege to open up CityLink in support of a cause that provides life-changing assistance for our community, often on their most challenging days. This year's massive crowd was amazing, and we hope everyone enjoyed the course - especially those views from the Bolte Bridge."
Thanks to everyone who joined in, we hope you had a great day out. But we'll leave the final word to the cause we were all supporting:
To have the event sold out just shows Victoria's continuous support and ongoing connection to the event, and the Good Friday Appeal.
We are very grateful to everyone who has participated and generously donated, along with the sponsors and volunteers, your support ensures The Royal Children's Hospital continues to provide world class medical care for sick kids and their families."
- Rebecca Cowan, Executive Director Good Friday Appeal.
