Fairview residents walk to Baw Baw
By Nathan Weatherhead Residents at Fairview Village, Warragul found an unusual way to cope with isolation during COVID-19 lockdown regulations.
They walked to Mt Baw Baw. Not in the strict sense but in the distance sense.
The 90-kilometre challenge took the residents three months to complete.
The challenge saw walkers take to the hallways and gardens, doing a lap or two towards the goal each day.
Residents were also able to reminisce during their walks, with historic photos hung up on the walls which created a buzz around the village while resident Bertha Miles motivated her fellow walkers to follow in her footsteps.
By the end of the challenge, Bertha had walked almost 60km herself.
It provided residents with an incentive to stay active during the pandemic and something to focus on other than COVID-19.
Staff member Brenda Stritch also participated in her own walking challenge. With residents walking the distance to the summit, Brenda wanted to hypothetically walk them home. Over a three-day stretch, she walked from the summit of Mt Baw Baw, returning to the point she was up to each morning to complete the walk back to Fairview.
She was warmly welcomed by the residents who celebrated her fantastic achievement together as she crossed back through the gate after the marathon effort.
Fairview Village lifestyle manager Maddie Jones said she was incredibly proud of the residents throughout the challenge.
“It was a fantastic from them all, it was a real team effort, and they did it as a team, encouraging each other along the way,” she said.