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Overview
On Saturday 8 March, Partners Scott Carmichael and Ben James embarked on an extraordinary journey, cycling 1000km in seven days through Tasmania with 43 other senior executives in the Chain Reaction Challenge to help support children in need.
Whilst the ride was of epic proportions, encompassing difficult hills and long days on the bike, it was all in the name of raising money for children that desperately need it. Importantly, Chain Reaction’s 45 riders managed to break their all-time fundraising record, raising over $1.06 million to help the Starlight Children’s Foundation and Very Special Kids.
This amazing fundraising effort was achieved via significant corporate investment in the ride, but also some brilliant personal fundraising too, with Scott and Ben managing to personally raise over $14,000 between them.
One of the key pillars of Chain Reaction is that funds raised always go toward funding specific projects, acquisitions or developments for their charity partners. This provides tangibility and allows riders and supporters to see exactly where the funds are being spent. Proceeds from the 2014 ride will allow the Starlight Children’s Foundation to keep their Starlight Express Room at the Monash Children’s Hospital open for a period of 12 months. This room and its life-changing programs would not be in operation was it not for Chain Reaction. Proceeds will also fund the renovation Very Special Kids House, Victoria’s only child specific hospice that caters for children with life-threatening conditions. The renovations will open up more beds and enable the organisation to care for many more children each year.
Over the course of the seven day event, Scott, Ben and other riders were treated to some of Australia’s most picturesque riding. Cycling through gorgeous areas such as Swansea, Cradle Mountain, Tarraleah and Launceston, riders generally experienced fine and mild conditions which was helpful given the difficult nature of the terrain, with Mt Wellington and Mt Roland really testing the physical and mental toughness of riders.
The event concluded with riders boarding the Spirit of Tasmania on the evening of Friday 14 March before arriving in Melbourne on the Saturday and riding to Very Special Kids in Malvern to the warm welcome of family and friends – a wonderful way to finish what was certainly a memorable event.
This was the first year Escala Partners has been involved in the Chain Reaction Challenge and impressions were excellent. The event not only works to support fantastic causes, but it is also a brilliant way to develop new contacts and take the Escala Partners brand to a new audience. Suffice to say, Escala Partners looks forward to again being part of the event in 2015.