STAFF from Brisbane Catholic Education (BCE) schools and offices helped “Rewrite the Story" when they ran, jogged or walked to raise awareness about the scourge of domestic violence.
They joined thousands of participants in the annual Darkness to Daylight Challenge organised by Australia's CEO Challenge (ACEOC) event to coincide with the end of the Domestic and Family Violence (DFV) awareness month.
The challenge remembers the many lives lost through domestic violence each year and also those left behind.
Every year about 110 people die from domestic and family violence in Australia.
The Darkness to Daylight Challenge covers a distance of just that – 110km, with each 1km representing a life lost.
The challenge began with a few brave souls including staff and students from St Teresa's Catholic College, Noosaville, and Mary Mackillop College, Nundah, taking on the 110km overnight run, while others ran the 10km “together" challenge, but most walked the 3km route as dawn broke over Brisbane City.
Both schools and a small number of BCEO staff camped out overnight, continuing to walk/run throughout the night to remember those affected by domestic violence.
For a group of Year 10 students at St Teresa's Catholic College, Noosaville, the goal was to run a massive 500klms.
Each of the 12 students involved had to self-nominate, giving reasons why they wished to be involved.
They all had a shared passion for eradicating domestic and family violence in Australia and wanted to help.
As only one of only two schools to participate in the overnight run and with the support of four staff members, and a nod of encouragement from Darkness to Daylight founder Rob Reed, the students overcame physical, mental and emotional challenges, supporting each other to smash their target and complete 713kms.
College Business Manager, Mark Roberton who ran 92kms, said he could not be prouder of their efforts.
Mark said they were each running for a survivor of DFV, someone who had the courage to reach out and ask for help.
“They are an extraordinary group of young people, who fully rose to the challenge and surpassed all expectations of them."
BCE Executive Director Pam Betts, who joined the early morning walkers, said it was a fantastic effort by all the participants.
“This is such a wonderful way of showing our solidarity with all who experience domestic and family violence and a small way in which we can begin to Rewrite the Story," Pam said.
Miss Betts thanked the more than 125 BCE participants and those who had been so generous in supporting “this very worthy cause".
She said the BCE team were both the top fundraiser and the top team fundraiser, raising more than $6000.
“Such a level of support signals to me, a pursuit of justice," she said.
“It was an incredible effort by everybody and a wonderful way of showing our solidarity with all who experience domestic and family violence and a small way in which we can begin to 'Rewrite the Story'."
This year BCE raised almost $4000 for the charity, and 2019 was the fourth year that BCE participated in the event.
Over the four years BCE has raised about $20,000 for the worthwhile cause.
The money raised will go to support ACEOC continue their work raising awareness of DFV in the workplace and supporting services on the frontline, including children who have had to flee their home to escape violence.