A week ago I was getting ready for the amazing experience of cycling the 25000Spins Great Ocean Road Challenge. The ride raised money for ADRA, Compassion and Botswana Orphan Project. My chosen charity was Compassion and I’m extremely grateful for everyone who donated and helped me release children from poverty.
It’s not too late to contribute. You can still donate online right now by going to my online fundraising page.
Here is a handful of photos from the ride including my bike in pieces after traveling across the country in a box. After that you’ll see some of the amazing scenery along the Great Ocean Road. Unfortunately they don’t even begin to capture the beauty of what we saw and experienced as we rode from Geelong to Warrnambool. You can click on each of the photos and have a closer look.
I’ll write more about the ride soon.
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Can we slow things down a little? I don’t know about you but I reckon this year has started way too fast. My head is spinning with all that’s going on. So much is happening and in less than two weeks I’ll be cycling the Great Ocean Road in Victoria to release children from poverty.
If you want to find out more about my big adventure just watch the video below. In it I tell the story of escaping Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti, as rioting escalated and smoke from burning barricades filled the air.
Haiti is just one country where Compassion is working. All over the world, often in difficult circumstances, Compassion is working to release children from poverty. They can only do their job if we’re prepared to get involved.
Having seen first hand, both in Haiti and Dominican Republic, how effective Compassion’s work is, I am determined to do more to help. That’s why from the 12th to the 14th of February I’ll be taking part in the 25000 Spins Great Ocean Road Challenge.
I’ll be riding 290 kilometres in three days and I need your support. By sponsoring my efforts on the challenge you’ll be releasing children from poverty. You’ll be giving children a real chance at life. Please visit my fundraising page and make a contribution. Maybe you can afford to sponsor me for a dollar a kilometre, maybe 50 cents a kilometre, or perhaps you’d just like to donate $10, $20, $50 or any other amount.
The other thing I’d ask you to do is to spread the video as far and as wide as you can so that it make the biggest impact in releasing children from poverty. Please put it on your blog, share it on Facebook, use the sharing buttons below and do whatever else you can do to help raise much needed funding to support the work of Compassion.
Do you think some of your friends would enjoy reading A Super Fast Start to 2012? Please use the buttons below to share the post. Thanks.
25000 Spins is a non-profit business dedicated to making a difference to children in need. Their vision is to not only make the lives of children better but to empower and challenge people to get involved in the cause through physical challenges.
Craig Shipton was living in London back in 2008 when he decided to do something that would help some of the one billion children in our world who live in poverty. Craig joined me on the phone this afternoon during my program on 98.5 Sonshine FM.
I talked to Craig about why he created 25000 Spins, what the name means, what they’ve achieved so far and what plans are in place. You can listen to our conversation by clicking the play button on the audio player at the bottom of this post.
25000 Spins is of particular interest to me because I’ll be cycling with Craig and a group of others next month. The video below explains why I’m so passionate about riding with 25000 Spins. In it I tell the story of escaping Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti, as rioting escalated and smoke from burning barricades filled the air.
Having seen first hand, both in Haiti and Dominican Republic, how effective Compassion’s work is, I am determined to do more to help. That’s why from the 12th to the 14th of February 2012 I’ll be taking part in the 25000 Spins Great Ocean Road Challenge.
I’ll be riding 290 kilometres in three days and I need your support. By sponsoring my efforts on the challenge you’ll be releasing children from poverty. You’ll be giving children a real chance at life. Please visit my fundraising page and make a contribution. Maybe you can afford to sponsor me for a dollar a kilometre, maybe 50 cents a kilometre, or perhaps you’d just like to donate $10, $20, $50 or any other amount.
The other thing I’d ask you to do is to spread the video as far and as wide as you can so that it make the biggest impact in releasing children from poverty. Please put it on your blog, share it on Facebook, use the sharing buttons below and do whatever else you can do to help raise much needed funding to support the work of Compassion.
Next month I’ll be cycling to release children from poverty. Today I want to share part of the reason why I’m taking on that challenge.
I’ve interviewed dozens of famous singers, authors, personalities, politicians and celebrities over the years but if I had the chance to choose one moment from my radio career so far that stands high above the others it is the opportunity to tell Ada’s story. I’ll tell you more about that story in a few moments.
Over the past couple of months I’ve been looking back at my visit to Haiti and Dominican Republic with Compassion Australia in April 2008. That visit is the main reason I’m passionate about taking park in the 25000 Spins Great Ocean Road Challenge. Next month I’ll be riding 290 kilometres in three days and I need your support. By sponsoring my efforts on the challenge you’ll be releasing children from poverty. You’ll be giving children a real chance at life. Please visit my fundraising page and make a contribution. Maybe you can afford to sponsor me for a dollar a kilometre, maybe 50 cents a kilometre, or perhaps you’d just like to donate $10, $20, $50 or any other amount.
Ada’s Story
As I mentioned before, telling Ada’s story was a real highlight for me. The story of this young girl will break your heart then give you renewed hope in the difference that each one of us can make in the lives of others.
I beg you to take just fourteen minutes to listen to Ada’s story. I know that for many, setting aside fourteen minutes is too much to ask. If you’re one of the few who takes the time, I guarantee it’ll be worth it.
If you want to hear something to lift your spirits just click play on the audio player at the bottom of this post.
The whole story is worth hearing but I’ll warn you now that it will really start to touch your heart around half way through.
Ada is a girl I met and interviewed in Dominican Republic. She was a beautiful twelve year old with a bright future. I wish I could show you the picture I had taken with the two of us but I prefer to keep her identity somewhat private. You’ll understand why as you listen.
I talked to Ada, I visited her home and talked to her parents. I’m sure that all of us that visited her home on that day will remember the warm hug she gave each one of us as we left. She is a remarkable young girl.
I managed to track down her sponsor in Australia and shared Ada’s story with her. Lisa’s reaction to hearing her sponsored child’s voice is priceless. Hearing Lisa describe how she feels when she hears just how much of an impact she has had on Ada’s life is inspiring.
I don’t know what else I can say but to again beg that you take the time to hear this amazing story. If you do take the time, please let me know.
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A disaster is currently unfolding in Africa. Millions of people are in desperate need and yet we’re hearing very little about the death and suffering that is happening right now. It can be stopped if we only have the will to intervene and do something now.
Countries in East Africa, including the Horn of Africa, have again been struck by severe drought, affecting the lives of some 13 million people. Combined with massively inflated food prices, people’s access to food and water is in jeopardy. Conflict in Somalia is affecting communities’ access to food, water, health and education services.
Over many years Tim Costello has been the voice of social conscience for many Australians, having led debates on issues such as gambling, urban poverty, homelessness, reconciliation and substance abuse. He’s someone who takes the often talked about Aussie value of giving everyone a fair go and gives it a practical expression.
As CEO of World Vision Australia, Tim leads an organisation that with the support of more than 400 000 Australians, helps more than 20 million people every year. He joined me on my Morning Café radio program today on 98.5 Sonshine FM. You can hear our conversation by clicking the play button on the audio player at the bottom of this post.
I started by asking Tim why we haven’t heard more about this massive need. Have we become hardened to the plight of others or are there other reasons for the world’s lack of action?
Next month I’ll be cycling to release children from poverty. Today I want to share part of the reason why I’m taking on that challenge.
A disaster is currently unfolding in Africa. Millions of people are in desperate need and yet we’re hearing very little about the death and suffering that is happening right now. It can be stopped if we only have the will to intervene and do something now.