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Day 1, October 12
East Fremantle Football Club to Rockingham
Months of commitment, planning and training led us to East Fremantle Oval on Day 1 by 7.30am to make final preparations.
A wonderful breakfast was supplied for approximately 150 people by the Past Players Association of EFFC.
After breakfast, Day 1 walkers assembled on the oval for photos, media and press coverage as well as some presentations before heading off on the route. The nine core walkers Ken Judge, Ross whiteman, Rod Cronan, Cliff anderson, Ken Williamson, Libby Anderson, Karen Smart, Annette Judge and Julie Touchell were accompanied by a contingent of guest walkers, sponsors, families, celebrities as well as Ron Williams and Steve Brown – people living with MND.
Celebrity walkers included Alan Border, Kim Hughes, Steve Malaxos, Josh Carr, Shaun McManus, Peter German and Paul Wilson.
Our route passed Jim Kidd’s store, BankWest Fremantle and at the Town Hall we were greeted by the Mayor of Fremantle. From there it was onto Fremantle Oval were the Fremantle Football Club had supplied fruit for the Walkers.
The Cockburn City Council welcomed and presented us with a cheque. Their staff and CEO, after hosting lunch, then partook in the walk for some way.
The fine conditions became quite warm during the afternoon and the pace needed lifting after the slow (but essential) meet and greet session of the morning.
Water, sports drinks and icy poles supplied by BankWest kept up our liquids however a distinct lack of toilets caused a few dilemmas for our ladies!
Not only did BankWest present the President of MND, Ross Whiteman and the Coach, Ken Judge with a $1,000 cheque they also provided the BankWest Radio Van that accompanied us on the journey playing music and letting us know the distances we had traveled. It created a great party atmosphere until we reached their Rockingham branch where we were greeted with balloons, banners and a sausage sizzle!
It was truly amazing to experience such elite sporting celebrities giving so generously of their time – walking, chatting to walkers and the public and signing memorabilia. They are a unique and very generous lot.
An informal gathering at the Leisure Inn in Rockingham with supporters, well wishers and crew soothed some tired bodies after “recovery” at the beach.
For every day of the event it was announced that there would be two awards given – the Kerry Coates Medal of Honour – for amazing efforts by the team (including the Support Crew) and the Downlow Medal – for those idiotic things that occur on such journeys.
The first recipient of the Kerry Coates Medallion was Ross Whiteman for persevering despite blisters, arthritic hips, bung knees, back pain and exhaustion.
The Downlow medal was presented to our lead driver, Dick Ryan for losing the Staminade container out of the back of the vehicle on a hill start and then leaving it behind at the Jim Kidd store. It was some consolation that he recovered both!
