We Walk The Walk – 30 km

We Walk-The-Walk – Not just Talk-The-Talk.

Gethsemane is an incorporated not-for-profit community group providing an astounding variety of voluntary services which include:

1. Free food pantry 7 days a week to feed the homeless, the hungry and even privileged families undergoing a temporary set-back, by way of fresh fruit, vegetables, bread, bakery-products, eggs, meats and other consumables. Also nappies, vitamins and nutrients.

2. Free opportunity shop, distributing household good, furniture, utensils and clothing to those in need.

3. Free talent school.

4. Free annual event – the Clyde Carols by Candlelight on Dec 1st 2018, from 5.30 pm to 9.30 pm at the Hillcrest Christian College Oval – which is what this walk is for.

Every day, around 400 residents benefit from our services, which promotes social cohesion within the community and improves the health and wellbeing of the public, including children, single parents, the elderly and large families. We are a self-funded organisation who sacrifice our time, premises, vehicles and personal funds in order to keep this service available to the community, not just once a week or once a fortnight, but 7 DAYS A WEEK, 365 days a year, including public holidays. Our volunteers are often sleep-deprived and go hungry ourselves, nevertheless we offer our services joyfully and greet everyone with a welcoming smile. We rush around merrily while tending to our own toddlers and infants. Some of us have as many as 6 small children. Come rain or shine, we have the storehouse open by Midday.
Despite our limited resources, we help the community on a mammoth scale. We improve resident’s quality of life and instill a sense of inclusion, harmony and unity across diverse cultures, nationalities and religions. Our services are available 24/7 in the event of a food emergency, to the socially isolated, homeless, depressed, underprivileged and anyone in need. Over Christmas 2017 Gethsemane fed over 5 thousand residents in 2 days. Anyone experiencing financial and other difficulties, including emotional and physical abuse, find refuge at Gethsemane, where they’re treated with respect and dignity, feeling useful and purposeful again. Casey children are taught the Arts at no cost to their families.

Our 30km walk is to host our community to an annual free night of entertainment, providing an opportunity that springboards Local Businesses and promotes Local Talent, in a harmonious carnival-like atmosphere. We’re in the process of launching a free community cafe and hosting a ‘Christmas Miracle’ where every child gets a free toy and possibly the adults as well. Gethsemane is an inspiration to our entire Community, including Casey Council, Work for the Dole and Maternal Child Care Services, who refer clients to our services. Our exemplary sacrifices have motivated residents whose subsequent involvement and participation in our program, have mitigated isolation, depression and even substance abuse. Volunteers work tirelessly, at a cost to ourselves, with no expectation of reviews, ratings or even a gold coin donation. We’re on the road from 6.30 am and often serve till midnight, delivering to immobile families. Some families wish to remain anonymous and in respect of their privacy, we leave our care package on their front doorstep and drive off.

We accept your sponsorship of our fundraising 30km walk with heartfelt appreciation. It will take place on Saturday November 17th 2018. We require the funding as soon as possible because while our Carols event is completely free to the community, it costs us around 20 thousand dollars. Most of this needs to be paid upfront to secure the requirements of stage, lights, sound, insurance, security, ambulance, advertising, traffic control and cleaning. Rather than simply accepting sponsorships, we’re putting ourselves out there and working for it – or in this case ‘walking’ for it.

Thanks immensely and be blessed.