By Tyler Wright
A foothills local is set to climb Mount Everest base camp in the hope of supporting those in need in the Dandenong Ranges and Knox communities.
Stephen Barrington, CEO of Foothills Community Care, will complete the 140-kilometre trek while looking to raise $10,000 for the organisation and an additional 12,000 meals to meet demand.
“I’m doing it with two of my younger sons…It’s something that we’d spoken about doing together,” Mr Barrington said.
“For me personally, it was around really challenging myself to do something that was quite epic and also way out of my comfort zone.”
Mr Barrington has been preparing for the 14-day trip to Nepal – complete with elevations of over 5,500 metres – by completing walks around the hills of Ferntree Gully and One Tree Hill Picnic Ground in the Dandenong Ranges National Park.
“We’re very blessed where we live here to have some amazing walks; around Grants [Picnic Ground] in Kallista – also around Nixon Road in Upwey, at the back of Birdsland in Belgrave,” he said.
“What we don’t have in Australia is the altitude…at about the two and a half, 3000 metre mark, we start experiencing altitude, so we have to really take things carefully.
“It’s an unknown how my body is going to respond to that, so my mantra is ‘slow and steady’.”
Mr Barrington, who has been involved with Foothills Community Care for several years working with people disengaged from society, sees his Everest mission as akin to people working through their own battles, mountains and challenges in life.
“We’re getting donations to raise $10 ,000, which will equate to 12,000 extra meals that we’re able to provide this year; and we’ve seen through the cost of living increases, particularly, that people are really struggling and doing life tough at the moment,” he said.
“It’s raising awareness about our work and what we do; particularly around issues of homelessness, food insecurity and mental health within our own community.
“in my journey to Everest Basecamp, I carry the lives and the photos and the memories of the people that I’m shooting with every day and their battles and their challenges along the way as well.
As of Friday 15 September, Mr Barrington has raised $755 for the organisation through an online fundraiser.
He said it’s been “encouraging” seeing the number of funds going up.
“I was really clear to say that I pay for every single expense of the trip personally, so none of this is going to any part of the trip – It’s all going 100 per cent to Foothills,” he said.
“People to be able to support others in that way is is a really important, passionate thing for me.
“To widen this out and to invite others into this journey with Foothills and the difference that even a few dollars makes – it literally puts food on the table, It gives people a sense of belonging and connection when they sit down and have a meal with others, when someone delivers them a meal and they have a smile on their face when they talk to them and listen to them.
“It helps people to know that they’re not alone, that they’re not forgotten, that there are people there for them, and as a community we’re there for them and that’s how good communities work by being there for each other.”
Mr Barrington said while the organisation has experienced extra demand, it still wants to support those who use its services.
“Most people need a little bit of a hand up some time in their life to get back on their feet, and then they’re able to pass it on down the track,” he said.
“It may not necessarily be through us, but it might be through their neighbour or through their family, and that’s what we want to see; good, healthy, connected communities who are functioning in a supportive way for everyone.”
Those interested in supporting Foothills Community Care can donate or visit Mr Barrington’s fundraising webpage at https://barros-trek-for-a-cause-au.raisely.com/
Donations are tax deductible.
