Get outdoors and 'Take Ten for Timor'

WITH spring just around the corner, it's the perfect time to set yourself a challenge, improve your health and get walking, at the same time boosting support for the people of East Timor. Local group Friends of Lacluta have launched a 'Take Ten for Timor' fundraising campaign to raise money for projects focusing on health and education outcomes for the people of Timor Leste. The campaign encourages participants to set themselves a challenge for August, such as walking two thousand steps a day, and "fining" themselves $10 on each day they don't reach their goal. At the end of the month, participants add up their "fines" and donate the total to the Friends of Lacluta's bank account. Member Karen Jones of Myrtleford said she came up with the idea in 2020 when a group of friends in lockdown were looking for motivation to get out and do something on their own. She said they set themselves a challenge to walk a set number of steps each day, fining themselves $10 when they didn't make it, which was then donated. "We managed to raise enough money to buy a student a computer, which was great, so we thought we'd throw it out there again and encourage others to join in," she said. "It's a personal motivation and it's very flexible – you can set whatever challenge you like and do it in your own way – and Friends of Lacluta might get a few donations at the end of it. "The take–home is, if you don't make your challenge you don't feel so bad, because Timor is benefitting." While the challenge was initially set for the month of August, people can jump in anytime or set their own dates and goals, remembering to tally their fines at the end of it. Some of the funds raised will go to repairing the toilets at the small remote school in Carlo, and providing mother and baby bags to the neediest mothers at the birthing centre. To find out more visit Friends of Lacluta on Facebook with donations welcome to Wangaratta Friends of Lacluta's account (BSB 633000 Account 135500015).

Get outdoors and 'Take Ten for Timor'

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