Challenging their bodies in extreme conditions is all in a days work for Port Macquarie firefighters, but a group of our local best are set to climb Sydney’s Tower Eye raising money for Motor Neurone Disease (MND) research.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
In October, the group, are going to climb 98 stories – 1504 stairs – of the Sydney Tower Eye while wearing their full structural firefighting gear.
Complete with air sets, their total packing weight will be close to 20 kilos but their struggles will be nothing like that of someone living with MND, and climber, Seth Vagg, said so far they have been overwhelmed by the support.
“A group of us did the climb last year and we raised a few thousand dollars,” Mr Vagg said.
“However after getting out into the community and finding out just how common MND is, we really wanted to ramp up our fund raising efforts this year.
“Since signing up for the climb last year we have learnt a lot about the disease and it really is horrendous.
“Last year the team was made up of Pat Levitzke, Emma Parke, Andrew Fullerton and myself, but this year we have more crew members and have set a goal of $10,000 to fund raise.”
Mr Vagg said one of the climbers from last year won’t be able to participate, but they have instead recruited three other climbers.
“Unfortunately Pat is unable to attend the climb this year, but we will be joined by fellow retained firefighter, Mitch Rourke and Port Macquarie permanent firefighters, Sonia Nash and Gavin Lisk,” he said.
“We are all very excited and have loved getting out and talking to people.”
He said despite not knowing much about MND before the group decided to climb, he has been blown away at just how horrible the disease is.
“When we have been out fund raising it has been so eye opening to have people come up and donate and when we say thank you, they tell us about one of their family members who went through MND and it really hits home.
“And when we are climbing each floor is dedicated to someone who has or who had MND which is really inspirational.
“We are doing this because we want to help find a cure for MND.”
So far, the team has placed about 25 donation buckets around the Hastings and are hosting fund raising events around Port Macquarie including raffles, barbecues and money boards.
The climbers will also host a ‘Barefoot Bowls’ Day in July and a charity Golf Day in September before the climb in October.
