‘Privileged and proud’ to walk

Lutheran Disability Services (LDS) Support Worker Julie Green hadn’t heard of Walk My Way before the lead-up to last month’s event in South Australia’s Barossa Valley.

But now she says the LDS team of clients and staff – the Wheelie Great Walkers – ‘can’t wait to do it again’.

Like her fellow LDS walkers and wheelers Julie, of Hamley Bridge, north of Adelaide, was encouraged to take part in Walk My Way by fellow support worker Tamara Martin, wife of Barossa North Parish Pastor Damien Martin.

LDS clients David, Chelsea, Jeanette and David were among 650 participants who walked or wheeled along the 26-kilometre trail from Nuriootpa to Lyndoch to support refugee children to go to school. The quartet was joined by five LDS staff, six of their children and two dogs.

‘It was extremely special for LDS family to feel the unity and inclusiveness of their community for this worthy event, as they talked, laughed, sung, and walked through the Barossa Valley’, Julie says.

‘They have expressed how proud they are to support Walk My Way and to help so many strong and resilient refugee children in East Africa to go to school. They can’t wait to do it again!’

With two members in wheelchairs and the rest on foot (or paw), the team also sang along to music played from a speaker Julie provided. Each client walked or was wheeled along for at least five kilometres; two did 13 kilometres and four staff, including Julie, and some of the children, completed the full trail.

‘When any of the clients had had enough, we had someone pick them up’, Julie says. ‘They’ve said since how wonderful it was. Personally, I felt so privileged to be a part of such a movement.’

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