By Effie Caloutas
Twin students Juliette and Madeleine Hemphill are on a mission to help young vision-impaired runners participate in the Run with Thomas the Tank Engine and Puffing Billy fund-raiser.
On Sunday 26 November at Gembrook Station, the girls will run 1.2km as part of the fun run to raise money for Insight, which is Victoria’s only specialist school for the vision impaired.
Children between the ages of three to 12 will participate in the event, with Juliette and Madeleine keen for vision-impaired runners to join in the action.
The Kids Fun Run with Thomas is an annual fund-raising event, organised by the Rotary Club of Emerald and District, providing an opportunity for a top day out while helping children less fortunate.
The twins have been in training with the students at Insight Education Centre for the Blind and Impaired at Berwick.
Madeleine says she feels good about participating in the fun run this month.
“It makes me happy, participating in a project like this, as the money raised gives the vision impaired the opportunity to have the same education we do,” she said.
“These kind of people are really inspiring are very brave.”
President of the Emerald and District Rotary Club Ian Wakefield said there were great benefits for kids joining in the run.
“It introduces young children to the concept fun runs, how to undertake warm up exercises ahead of the event,” he said.
“The kids will be able to obtain a certificate to prove that they had competed in the fun run.”
The family event will include clowns, music, market stalls, animal farm, Lizzy’s Lizards, food and Thomas hunt.
The entry cost is $20 per child, with participants awarded a certificate, a bottle of water and a show bag.
Children from the ages of 3-12 can enter online on at www.kidsfunrunwiththomas.org.au
