After light breakfast, left Wollert at 6:30 AM and started to walk north on the C729 route to cover the 30 Kms distance to reach Wandong, our destination for the day. It was drizzling even before we left Wollert. As the day progressed, the drizzle got heavier. I was wearing the Hi-Vis waterproof jacket but the splash resulting from passing vehicles especially heavy trucks was unavoidable. More often than not, the splashes resembled rain showers than the actual rain that was playing cat and mouse throughout the day's walk. After a couple of short breaks by the roadside, we reached the Ampol Petrol Station in Wandong adjacent to a bakery, few shops, and the IGA.
We were having a coffee at the bakery when a man in his 70s walked in and asked me if I was the guy who was walking from the MCG to the SCG to raise one million dollars for the McGrath Foundation because he had seen me on the TV the previous night? I said, yeah. He wanted to take a photo with me and straight after, he gave me $50 cash donation for the McGrath Foundation. I gave him a receipt and told him that the official receipt would be issued by the Foundation. He didn't want to claim it on his tax return. Soon after, a couple in their 50s walked into the bakery and took photos with us. They also donated $50 cash, for which I issued a receipt. It was quite heartwarming to see total strangers walk up for a photo or offer a cash donation for the noble cause. This is primarily because the level of care the McGrath Foundation provides through their breast care nurses is held in very high esteem in the Australian community.
While the walk is certainly taxing on the body, and you do get tired after covering 30 Kms or so, meeting total strangers with a positive approach makes it all worthwhile and very rewarding. As the media gets behind this initiative, the awareness about the fundraising walk is going to grow exponentially. The donations should begin to come in and help us reach our target of one million dollars for the McGrath Foundation.
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