Ella gets ready for undie trek

Hike requires more than thongs

ELLA Boyd is nervous about how she will get through international customs.

Armed with a backpack full of undies, the Year 12 St Ursula’s College student joked it would look suspicious if she was searched.

Miss Boyd is preparing to hike the Kokoda Trail in Papua New Guinea early next month - and she is sure to be following a different set of briefs.

For the past two weeks, Miss Boyd has been collecting underwear for her project “Say No to Commando”, a fundraiser that aims to provide basic necessities to women and children living alongside the trail.

“It’s a bizarre concept to raise underwear instead of money,” Miss Boyd laughed.

“The slogan, ‘say no to commando,’ has definitely raised some eyebrows. But it’s meant to be funny and get people talking.

“The idea started with my dad, who has hiked the trail 15 times. He said people often bring gifts to distribute in the

‘‘ IT’S A BIZARRE CONCEPT TO RAISE UNDERWEAR INSTEAD OF MONEY. ELLA BOYD

villages along the trail - but what people desperately needed were the bare necessities such as underwear.”

Miss Boyd teamed up with St Ursula’s Share the Dignity service group to spread the quirky message, and the project has taken off.

“You never think about not having underwear. We all wake up in the morning and put on our underwear; it’s just a habit,” Miss Boyd said.

“I especially empathise with women who have a lack of sanitary items.

“Overall my goal is to raise 96 pairs to hand out as the hike is 96kms long, and so far I’m half way there.”

Miss Boyd will start the hike on September 8. Underwear collection points have been set up at St Ursula’s College and Up and Active Physiotherapy.

Photo: Kevin Farmer KNICKERS WITH A TWIST: St Ursula’s College student Ella Boyd with underwear collected for her ‘Say No to Commando’ campaign. Miss Boyd will donate the underwear during her Kokoda trek.