Pat O’Neill loves an extended stroll. And thank goodness for that, as a result of on Sunday 9 October, the senior graphic designer from Intrepid’s world headquarters shall be strolling a full marathon – that’s 42 km – to lift funds as a part of the Blue Dragon Marathon Walk.
The annual occasion is a joint fundraising challenge between the Intrepid Foundation, the not-for-profit arm of Intrepid Travel, and the Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation, an organisation devoted to serving to trafficked, enslaved and homeless youth in Vietnam.
Those collaborating within the marathon can select their problem – a full (42 km) or half marathon (21 km) – then increase funds that can go on to serving to Blue Dragon change lives and carry susceptible folks out of poverty. Since approaching board to assist the Marathon Walk in 2018, Intrepid has helped improve fundraising from about $20,000 a 12 months to over $190,000 in 2021.
For the final 15 years – since lengthy earlier than the Marathon Walk started in 2015 – Intrepid has been championing Blue Dragon’s vital work, which covers 4 key pillars: stopping human trafficking in high-risk communities; rescuing folks from slavery in Vietnam and neighbouring international locations; collaborating with authorities companies on regulation reform to discourage trafficking; and offering therapeutic, justice and academic alternatives to rescued folks recovering from trauma.
For Pat, Vietnam – with its “beautiful people and excellent food” – holds a particular place in his coronary heart. He’s visited the nation 3 times on separate Intrepid journeys, and even visited Blue Dragon’s HQ in Hanoi in 2016.
“I love Vietnam,” he says. “They’ve been through so much over the last 50 years, and have largely come out the other side, but there are still a few people who have been left behind. Walking the marathon is a small way of helping Blue Dragon continue to do their good work.”
This is the third time Pat’s taking over the marathon stroll. And sure, it’s in regards to the charity – however it’s in regards to the problem, too. And there’s nothing like publicly committing to a trigger that can assist you follow an intention. “Challenging myself to do something is the best way to make sure I follow through and do it,” he says. “Now I’m pounding the pavement every chance I get to train.”
This 12 months, Pat shall be beginning his stroll within the Melbourne suburb of North Carlton earlier than following some river trails into the center of town. After a half-time lunch break in Federation Square, he’ll head again the best way he got here and end up with a well-deserved beer at a B Corp brewery in his dwelling suburb of Brunswick. The stroll will take roughly a full working day.
“I have eight hours of podcasts lined up ready to go,” he says. He additionally lists his different marathon necessities: snacks and considerable water top-ups.
The final time he did the marathon, again through the COVID lockdowns of 2020, he walked alongside an out-of-use prepare observe by means of the luxurious and hilly Dandenong Ranges, an hour exterior of Melbourne. “It was quite rough on the feet, especially during the last 5 to 10 km,” he remembers. “When I hit the goal, I was still a few kilometres from home, so I called my wife and said I thought I could make it… before calling her back immediately, asking her to drive the couple of minutes to pick me up, and collapsing into the car.”
Ultimately, sore toes are a small value to pay for all the great that comes from strolling the marathon. At the very least, the lengthy stroll supplies loads of moments for introspection, and a little bit of perspective. “Kids being trafficked into slavery is not something that you see as possible, but it is happening around the world,” says Pat. “What you go through in the walk is nothing like what the children at Blue Dragon have been through in the past.”
You can donate to assist Pat’s efforts – or register to fundraise and full the marathon your self on Sunday October 9 – on the Blue Dragon Marathon Walk homepage.