Walk With Lynda Nears Finishing Line

20160512 Walkers — Relatives and friends of Lynda Geiger are getting ready for Sunday’s charity walk (Photo: Brett Otto)

May 12, 2016

Brett and Trevor Otto’s 500km charity “Walk With Lynda” from Gladstone to Kingaroy is on the final straight with the walkers arriving in Cloyna on Wednesday.

The pair are walking to raise awareness about melanoma and to raise funds for the Melanoma Awareness Foundation.

They left Gladstone on April 21 and have been pounding the pavement with a support crew ever since.

Along the way they have been stopping off at businesses and schools to talk about the disease.

The walk is also a tribute to Lynda Geiger, born in Gladstone, who died from melanoma in Kingaroy last year.

Lynda’s efforts to raise awareness about the disease – as well as her courage in the face of a terminal diagnosis – inspired the region.

Pink and yellow balloons, her favourite colours, were hung around Kingaroy when news of her death spread.

On Wednesday, Brett and Trevor walked into Cloyna where they visited the students at Cloyna State School.

On Thursday, they will walk from Cloyna to Murgon where they expect to reach the Visitor Information Centre in Lamb Street at 11:00am.

Businesses and local residents have been asked to show their support by displaying yellow balloons and / or streamers.

Then on Friday, Brett and Trevor will leave Murgon at 8:20am to walk to Wondai where they will meet up with the crew from CROW-FM near the roundabout at noon.

The culmination of the walk will be on Sunday, when a Community Walk is planned to accompany Brett and Trevor from Crawford State School to Kingaroy’s Memorial Park.

A bus will pick up walkers at Memorial Park at 2:30pm and drop them off in Crawford.

The walkers will then head back into Kingaroy for a closing ceremony at Memorial Park at 5:30pm.

Cold drinks and refreshments will be on sale.

The registration fee to enter the Crawford to Kingaroy walk is $20 per person, with funds raised assisting the Melanoma Awareness Foundation.

To register, contact the Melanoma Awareness Foundation by email or phone 0467-625-269.

External link: Melanoma Awareness Foundation

Footnote: Tragedy struck the “Walk With Lynda” on Wednesday when SES support crew driver Allan Jensen suffered a heart attack and died. Allan was a well-known volunteer in the Murgon community and a former member of Apex. Tributes to Allan were posted on Brett Otto’s Facebook page. He will be sadly missed by his family and the South Burnett community.