The Young Marists group ran 104km to raise money for students in remote communities.
The Young Marists group ran 104km to raise money for students in remote communities.
The three-day Awa Run beside the Whanganui River has raised more than $32,000.
An initiative of the Young Marists group, the 104km relay run on November 27-29 raised money to support students in remote communities.
The Young Marists group more than doubled last year’s $13,000.
Nine schools, including Whanganui’s Cullinane College, that make up the Young Marists group, gathered in Raetihi to start the run down the Whanganui River Rd to Whanganui.
The other schools are Roncalli College, St Bede’s College, Marist College, Pompallier Catholic College, St John’s College, Hato Paora College, St Patrick’s College (both Silverstream and Wellington).
Cullinane College first held the event in 2016 after the idea was formed in 2015.
Whanganui's Cullinane College came up with the idea in 2015 and students first ran the awa in 2016.
One of the runners in 2016’s debut year was Te Mana Kaua, who is now Cullinane College’s sports co-ordinator and helped organise the Awa Run this year.
Kaua said the planning started in February and was constantly checked and tweaked up until the final reviews, just days before the run started.
The run went according to plan in Kaua’s mind, despite the uncontrollable heat.
“The run was good. On our second day, the kids were running in 30C heat at one point, but they knew what the cause was for and they were able to grow as individuals.
“It was hard, they wanted to give up, but they didn’t - it was just amazing to see how an individual could change over the course of three days.”
The $32,000 raised will support students in remote communities and the Next Door initiative, which aims to provide secondary school opportunities for remote students.
The run involves one Year 12 and five Year 10 students from each school, who run 5km in relay form to finish each day around the 50km mark, repeating it for the following two days.
The schools were looked after by local marae at night.
One of Cullinane College’s Year 10 runners, Tyson McKee, said the run was difficult but the drive of raising money for under-privileged kids his age was a motivator.
“It was challenging but mainly just the heat - I just kept thinking of them and the opportunities they’re going to get off the effort I put in.
“When I finished I was happy because I remembered who I’d done it for and all the effort had paid off.”
The students had to endure scorching heat during their mammoth run.
Kaua said it was important to keep the event thriving to support those in less privileged communities and situations.
“It’s important because we’re not here for ourselves, we’re here to serve others.
“It gives the students the opportunity to boost our community and try to make a difference to give others a better chance at life and education - it’s something we all equally deserve.”
The Awa Run was originally a biennial event but last year changed to an annual one.
