The Gold Coast Bulletin

HELPING KIDS ALL IN GOOD FUN

- AMBER MACPHERSON

GOLD Coast families are getting on board with a DIY home obstacle course fundraiser for disadvanta­ged kids.

Maudsland family The Hurleys are taking part in the Home Fun Run challenge to drum up donations for disadvanta­ged kids supported by Australian children’s charity The Smith Family.

With swinging ropes, a steep push bike track and a pillow fortress tunnel, dad Ashley Hurley said his children Hunter, 7, and Byron, 3, can’t wait to try it out.

“Since I’ve told a few other friends, their children have said ‘Can we come over and try your obstacle course?’,” he said. “My boys can’t wait, they are itching to go. My son wants to leave it up all weekend.”

Home Fun Run was created by Queensland’s School Fun Run, a longstandi­ng fundraisin­g organisati­on that raised more than $9 million in 2019.

With COVID-19 restrictin­g traditiona­l schoolyard learning, the School Fun Run shifted its fundraisin­g to a fun run that can be done in everyone’s backyard.

“I heard about the Fun Run through a friend of mine and wanted to help out,” Mr Hurley said.

“This is something we could do to help out the disadvanta­ged people on the Gold Coast.

“The more people that help out in little ways, the better the country will be.”

School Fun Run director Brendan Hopp said the athome version was an opportunit­y to repurpose its fundraisin­g while also giving families a fun physical activity at home.

“We’ve seen the hardship Australian­s have endured during this trying time and it got me wondering, with a network of over 130,000 school families, what could we do that would help those most in need?” Mr Hopp said.

Of funds raised, 70 per cent will go towards remote learning resources and the remaining 30 per cent to The Smith Family’s Toy and Book Appeal.

The Home Fun Run is on June 12 but families can sign up at athomefunr­un.com.au and take part in their own obstacle course from now.

 ?? Picture: JERAD WILLIAMS ?? Ashley Hurley‘s sons Byron, 3, and Hunter, 7, and their cousins Emily, 4, and Matilda, 4, enjoy their backyard obstacle course. It is part of the Home Fun Run initiative, which aims to raise money for disadvanta­ged children across Australia via The Smith Family charity.
Picture: JERAD WILLIAMS Ashley Hurley‘s sons Byron, 3, and Hunter, 7, and their cousins Emily, 4, and Matilda, 4, enjoy their backyard obstacle course. It is part of the Home Fun Run initiative, which aims to raise money for disadvanta­ged children across Australia via The Smith Family charity.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Australia