Boys' 40km walking, cycling efforts raise $2070 to help people in Solomon Islands
Liberton Christian School pupils Oscar Pol (front) and Alexander Steenkamp raised a collective $2070 for World Vision by biking 40km and walking 40km respectively. PHOTO: PETER MCINTOSH
Spending 11 hours walking 40km around Otago Harbour to raise money for people living in poverty was the least he could do, a Liberton Christian School pupil says.
For the World Vision 40 Hour Challenge this year, the school asked its pupils to make a sacrifice or commit to a challenge to raise money for children living in poverty.
The school wanted to raise at least $5000, and yesterday they were very close to their goal, having raised $4830.
Pupils Alexander Steenkamp, 12, and Oscar Pol, 7, wholeheartedly took on the challenge.
Alexander walked 40km from Portobello to Port Chalmers, before heading back to the Otago Rowing Club to make up the full distance.
He left at 7am on Saturday and finished in the dark at 6pm.
"At the end of the walk, my legs were hurting and my feet were hurting ... I think I've recovered now," Alexander said.
"In hindsight, I should have done 20km on Saturday and 20km on Sunday — problems started coming up in the last 10km."
Alexander, who is one of the school's World Vision leaders, was working to encourage the other pupils to raise money.
He said this year they were raising money for people in the Solomon Islands who were living in poverty, and he was proud of his — and the entire school's — efforts so far.
His mother, Yolande Steenkamp, walked the first 20km with him, and his father joined him for the final 20km.
Mrs Steenkamp said she intended to walk the entire track, but at the halfway point her hip "could take no more".
"I had to call my husband and say, 'Hey, it's your turn' — [Alexander's] determination and perseverance is so inspiring."
Alexander raised $1020.
Oscar, who raised $1050, also completed 40km on the same track, but on a bike.
Oscar and his mother started on Saturday in Macandrew Bay and cycled to Portobello, before looping back and heading to Port Chalmers.
They began the ride at 1.30pm and were finished within about three and a-half hours.
Oscar said his legs might have been a bit sore, but he did not get tired.
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