NT Defence relays for life
29 September 2010
Australian Defence Force (ADF) units in the Top End recently came together with the Darwin community for the 2010 running of the Cancer Council’s Relay for Life.
Members from Larrakeyah Barracks and HMAS Coonawarra, in a combined team named ‘Team Navy’, along with those from Robertson Barracks and RAAF Base Darwin took to the track on the Gardens Oval in Darwin for the 16 hour event on October 24-25.
The 1st Combat Service Support Battalion (1 CSSB) from Robertson Barracks set the track on fire throughout the night having team members running solidly for the entire 16 hours.
Team Navy captain, Leading Seaman Physical Trainer (LSPT) Scott Daniel, said he was impressed with 1 CSSB’s sustained effort to keep a runner going for the whole night.
“Just to look at them every time they went around made us all feel exhausted, especially at 0300 in the morning, but the boys looked very sore after the final countdown,” he said.
The 1 CSSB team were winners before the relay even started as the highest corporate sponsors for the 2010 event. They also took the award for the most number of laps completing 550 laps of the approximately 380m track – that’s an astonishing 209km!
Team Navy and the RAAF Base Darwin ‘Boomerang’ teams also put in solid efforts for the important cause, with Team Navy completing 230 laps and the Boomerangs 236.
“It is a monumental effort just to keep the baton walking around the track, but you just keep going on the inspiration of cancer survivors and the families of lost loved ones who walk with you,” said LSPT Daniel.
“After 16 hours we were all tired and very sore, but I’m sure I can vouch for all Defence members involved that we will definitely be back bigger and better next year,” he added.
Together, the Defence teams in Darwin raised over $8000. 1 CSSB raised $5,384.50, Team Navy raised $1,800 and the Boomerang teams raised $1,116 for cancer research.
Relay for Life is a major fundraiser for cancer research in Australia and, more importantly, is an opportunity to get together with the community and celebrate cancer survivors, remember loved ones lost to cancer and fight back against a disease that takes too many.
It is a great cause for important research, but is also a good fun team activity. If you want to get involved, visit http://www.relayforlife.org.au for more information.
