The spirit of community and philanthropy was on full display as junior school students from Pymble Ladies’ College participated in the 2024 Lindfield Fun Run last month. Forming a remarkable team of 149 enthusiastic runners, these young people showcased their commitment to health and fitness and their dedication to giving back, raising an impressive $3,596 for local charities.
Organised by Ku-ring-gai Rotary Club, the Lindfield Fun Run is a fantastic community event that has been running for 29 years and brings together people of all ages to support local charities like KYDS Youth Counselling. ‘KYDS provides free, confidential counselling to local young people without the need for a Medicare card, mental health plan or GP referral. We’re very proud to be the main beneficiary of the Lindfield Fun Run, which raises about $25000 for our organisation each year and supports the delivery of our free service,’ said Dr Anthony Rigney, CEO of KYDS.
This year a record 2143 people registered for the annual event, which saw the launch of the KYDS Schools Challenge, where local schools were invited to participate and see who could achieve the most registrations or raise the most funds through the event. The winning school in each category is awarded a trophy to keep on display for the year. The Pymble Junior School team ‘Kilometres for Kindness’ emerged as a standout participant, winning the inaugural KYDS Schools Challenge for the most registrations, representing an impressive 7% of total participants, and also triumphing in the fundraising category, achieving 23% of the total funds raised by runners in the event. Special mention goes to Lindfield East Public School, with a fantastic effort to achieve 57 registrations.
‘We are incredibly proud of our junior school students for their outstanding participation and fundraising efforts at the Lindfield Fun Run,’ said Kate Brown, spokesperson for Pymble Ladies’ College. ‘Their enthusiasm and dedication to supporting local charities, especially KYDS, is truly inspiring. This achievement underscores our commitment to fostering a sense of community and empathy among our students.’
Dr Rigney also expressed his gratitude. ‘The support from Pymble Ladies’ College has been phenomenal. Along with the junior school students, there were 25 secondary student runners and 20 student and staff volunteers on the day. Their participation and the funds they raised will make a significant difference in our ability to provide essential mental health support to young people in our community. We are deeply appreciative of their efforts and their commitment to making a positive impact to youth mental health.’
KYDS invites the community to save the date for the next Lindfield Fun Run on Sunday 4 May 2025. ‘We’d love to see even more schools get involved next year and showcase the link between physical and mental health. To register your school’s interest and keep informed prior to the event, please email info@kyds.org.au,’ said Dr Rigney.