Great Scot May 2020 Great Scot 159_MAY 2020_ONLINE_V3 | Page 28

NEWS
THE BLACK RANGE
STATE FOREST
ECHOED TO THE
GLAD SHOUTS OF
SCOTCH’S 24 HOUR
HIKERS
THE 24 HOUR HIKE – rallying
in support of a great cause
Hikers overcame rain, fog, rugged trails and sore hamstrings
Thirty-three millimetres of rainfall. Steep,
rugged trails. Thick fog. Incredibly sore
hamstrings. Such conditions don’t tend
to lend themselves to hiking, yet across
Thursday 5 and Friday 6 March, 115 hikers
braved these perilous circumstances and
participated in the 24 Hour Hike at the Black
Range State Forest, just south-east of Yea.
Accompanied by 20 boys and 14 staff
members in supporting capacities, the boys
thrived in the face of this environmental
adversity, battling sleep deprivation as they
hiked through the night and into the next day.
This year’s hike raised funds for Emotion
21, a fantastic non-profit organisation that
helps to enhance the lives of individuals with
Down syndrome, and change perceptions
of this condition within society, through
performance-based activities, like dance.
As Emotion 21 is a local charity, the boys
seemed to rally behind it in their sponsorship
efforts, and in an inspiring show of
community spirit.
Despite the steep tracks, the average
distance hiked was 63.7km, an impressive
feat. Indeed, there were also some incredible
individual achievements. Not one, not two,
28
Great Scot