Women on walk for Narrogin

When a group of Narrogin women got together to raise money for the Lions Club, they didn’t realise the positive impact it would have on the community.

As well as raising $100,000, they have been improving their health and boosting community spirit.

From April 14–17, 100 women will walk 100km to raise money for the Lions Club of Narrogin.

Jill Nottle, Ann McLeish, Gloria Radford and Sally Rogers, who together raised $87,000 for Relay for Life last year, came up with the idea.

“We’ve been planning the walk for about eight months,” Jill said.

“We started with an interest meeting and had an excellent response. A total of 100 women have signed up and we have almost raised $100,000.”

The walk is open to women of all ages, but most are 50 years and over.

And it’s not just women from Narrogin involved; participants hail from Williams, Wickepin, Wagin and Pingelly, as well as Kununurra, Burra in South Australia and Moorooka in Queensland.

Jill said the route of the four-day trek had been kept a surprise.

“We haven’t told participants where we’re going, because we wanted to keep it a mystery,” she said.

“It’s not a race; there’s no prize for being first. It’s the company of the other 99 that makes the walk.”

The walk has the added bonus of promoting health and fitness within small rural communities.

“We wanted to tap into the health side of it as well,” Jill said.

“We’ve tried to give participants as much advice as we can. Sally Rogers is a physiotherapist and has drawn up a walking program.

“We’ve said it will be a one-off but hopefully other communities will pick up the idea.”

Women unable to participate in the walk will be helping out with catering or as support crew.

Narrogin Lions vice-president Arthur Paternoster said the money raised from the walk would go towards the local volunteer ambulance service and hospital.