Happy Feet striding over Nga Tapuwae o Toi track above the Whakatāne township , part of this year ’ s Oxfam trail .
Happy Feet to cover 100ks in 36 hours
Tackling a 100km trail walk in 36 hours is the challenge for four Tauranga Hospital staff this month .
As we go to print , the team ( Tracey Burns , Diane Cockrell , Sally Llewellyn and Kerryn Wooderson ) will be one of many lining up for the annual New Zealand Oxfam Trailwalker event in Whakatāne on March 25-26 ; raising funds to fight poverty . Participants enter in teams of four and all team members are expected to complete the 100 kilometre distance or alternatively 50 kilometres in 18 hours .
Happy Feet as the team is known has been training together for six months , clocking up big distances in that time . Walking between Tauranga Hospital and the Mount has become a familiar route , as well as up and around the Mount many , many times . Some of the girls ’ favourite walks have included the Otanewainuku Forest , Tarawera Trail , the Redwoods , Mount Te Aroha , Sentinel Rock & Lindemann Loop . Walks have all differed in time , distance and terrain with the majority being between 20 and 30kms long and the longest was 80kms over two days ( 30kms one day and 50kms the next ).
The 2017 Oxfam Trailwalker event aims to raise $ 1- million - last year funds reached $ 980,000 . Each team is required to raise a minimum of $ 2,500 by March 8 to take part .
Happy Feet has committed to raising $ 5000 to go towards this target . Over the past six months the girls have organised raffles , a fundraising Christmas lunch , as well as selling fundraising wine and trade aid chocolate - currently the team has almost $ 4500 .
Oxfam Trailwalker came to New Zealand in 2006 and is part of an international series , with 16 events being held around the world in 11 countries .
Donations for team Happy Feet can be made at : https :// www . oxfamtrailwalker . org . nz / otw17 / teams / happy-feet
The girls currently have a raffle going for a handmade bag full of goodies ; details can be found on the OnePlace Buy , Sell & Share page .
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