Darrel Chapman Fun Run raises $7,000 for Our Kids

Northern Rivers’ children who are patients at Lismore Base Hospital will benefit from the fund-raising efforts of everyone who participated in the recent Southern Cross University Darrel Chapman Fun Run.

The $7,000 raised will go to support the Our Kids charity that provides essential equipment for the children’s ward at the hospital.

Our Kids fundraising coordinator Rebekka Battista received the cheque yesterday from the Southern Cross University students and staff who helped coordinate and run the event.

The Sport Tourism and Human Movement Science students took on organising the event as a unit in their degree courses. They had to plan and stage the entire event with the supervision of School of Health and Human Sciences staff.

“The hands-on experience we gained in doing this exercise was incredible,” said student Lauren Atkins, who also undertook her internship with the Our Kids charity.

“We learned about media, marketing, sponsorship, logistics, planning, occupational health and safety, team work, leadership, delegation … the list goes on and on,” she said.

“It was a real life event and we had to develop real, practical skills to pull it off. It has been a great hands-on learning experience.

“It has also been fantastic to be able to go into the children’s ward at the hospital and see the youngsters who will benefit from our efforts.”

Lauren said the experience had taught her that when it comes to event management “expect the unexpected, be prepared to do whatever it takes to make the event a success and never, ever forget the gaffer tape!”

The event is held annually in honour of respected academic and local sporting legend, Darrel Chapman, who passed away from bowel cancer in 1992.

Dr Dave Arthur, a senior lecturer in the Department of Exercise Science and Sport Management, said the event was an important way in which final year students could “take what they have learned theoretically in the classroom into the real world and develop practical skills and knowledge that will help them in their careers.”

Photo: Rebekka Battista (front) coordinator of the Our Kids charity receives a cheque for $7000 from Southern Cross University students who helped coordinate this year’s Darrel Chapman Fun Run event to help raise funds for the Lismore Base Hospital children’s ward. Back row from left: Sport Tourism and Human Movement Science students: Lauren Atkins, of Lismore; Michael Cannon, of Lismore; Joel McKenzie, of Lismore; Seaton Kay-Smith, of Lismore; and Anna Turnbull, of Ballina, at the Left Bank Cafe in Lismore.