Charity run’s cost hike
New body could swallow up to 65 cents of every $1
BARWON Health will likely take a major fundraising hit, with the event replacing Cotton On’s now defunct Run Geelong to donate as little as 35 per cent of entry fees to the hospital.
Rapid Ascent, which will operate replacement event Run for Geelong’s Kids, has shortened the distances and jacked up entry fees.
Under the new plan, if about 10,000 people signed up for the 10km run, Barwon Health would receive $210,000 (a 34 per cent drop on last year), out of half a million dollars in entry fees.
However, the financial hit to Barwon Health is expected to be even bigger, with many entrants likely to take advantage of early bird discounts, or to take part in the popular shorter — and cheaper — runs and walks.
ENTRY costs have been raised for Geelong’s new charity fun run, with as little as 35 per cent of the fees to be directed to Barwon Health.
The replacement event for Run Geelong — which Cotton On has scrapped after nine years — has released its early bird ticket prices for its debut on November 18.
Presented by Torquaybased sports company Rapid Ascent, Run for Geelong’s Kids will present a similar fam- ily friendly event at Eastern Gardens.
First release prices for the 10km run ($49) and 5km run or walk ($44) are available until Sunday. Tickets bought after that before the day for the respective events will cost $59 and $49.
While prices are as much as $15 more expensive for the longer run, the cost of the 1km kids event will remain at $20.
Rapid Ascent said 35 per cent of the first 7000 entries would be donated to the Barwon Health Foundation’s Kids Appeal, which is raising money for a new rehabilitation centre.
Any entries over the 7000 mark would have 55 per cent of the fee donated.
Run Geelong had previously directed all of its event fees to children’s health care initiatives at Barwon Health.
While the 2017 edition donated more than $340,000, Cotton On said it was shelving Run Geelong and its other charity fun runs because they cost more than they raised.
“In doing this we are mindful of that initial vision and we have not lost sight of that top priority,” Cotton On Group community manager Sam McGuane said.
“We have challenged ourselves to identify a new model to better support the Barwon Health Foundation and the completion of the latest Kids Appeal project, the children’s rehabilitation centre.”
Free event T-shirts will be restricted this year to the first 7000 entrants.
Rapid Ascent oversees numerous running, mountain bike and adventure events, including Surf Coast Century, Otway Odyssey and the Great Otway Gravel Grind.
It has secured Cats captain Joel Selwood, his partner and schoolteacher Brit Davis, Australian netballer Madi Robinson and Paralympic gold medallist Richard Colman as event ambassadors.
“Each year 156 kids from our region require rehabilitation due to spinal cord injury, stroke or brain injury,” Rapid Ascent said.
“Currently any kids who require this service need to do so in the adult rehabilitation centre which is predominantly occupied by elderly members of the community.”