Cambridge Community House has benefited to the tune of almost $3000 thanks to a recent rowing fundraiser that also saw a few records tumble.
The house team took their places on the rowing machines (ergs) last month, alongside a few Olympic rowers, high school students, rowing club members and parents. Participants ranged in age from around eight to 70 years old in the relays … all of which added to the final figure of $2875 donated to Community House and handed over last week with a giant cheque.
The event was the seventh running of the annual Juice Plus+-RowPT Marathon, a family health-focused charity fundraiser open to all ages and abilities. It was held for the fourth successive year at Common Ground Gym in Cambridge.
The link between Common Ground and Cambridge Community House comes in the shape of Jamie Kerr, the house’s whānau support leader.
He was the owner of FitGym, now rebranded as Common Ground Gym, when the marathon was first held there in 2017.
The mastermind behind the event is Cambridge Rowing Club-RowPT’s Gerard ‘Ger’ Sheehan. He steers the annual charity event both here and abroad.
“Each year we partner up with a variety of charities both in New Zealand and in Australia where Juice Plus ANZ is headquartered,” he explained. “I am a local Juice Plus+ partner, hence the Cambridge connection.”
Ger said there were 16 ergs running this year. They included eight soloists (each doing an individual marathon row) and eight relay ergs, two relay teams from the community house, one from Rowing New Zealand, with Mike Brake and Sean Kirkham from the Tokyo men’s gold-winning men’s eight, along with Matt Dunham and Finn Hammil. Also on board were two from Common Ground Gym, and two from Cambridge Rowing Club including some high school students and parents.
Martha DeLong of Cambridge Rowing Club – who took part in the 65-69 year category – set an age group world record in the women’s open weight division for her solo marathon on the day, covering 26 miles, or 41.195km in 3 hours 14 minutes and 13 seconds.
“Hers was a time most women couldn’t handle at half her age,” said Ger.
Both Josh Wilson, also Cambridge Rowing Club, and Stephen Gibbons of Waikato Rowing Club-RowPT, set New Zealand records in their events.
Cambridge Community House general manager Gabby Byrne said because of the event’s family focus, the welcome windfall would see funds put towards the operational costs of the facility’s expanded whānau support team.
Seated atop the rowing erg is Cambridge Rowing Club-RowPT’s Gerard ‘Ger’ Sheehan. He is surrounded by Cambridge Community House staff and others involved in the fundraiser, including general manager Gabby Byrne (right). Standing from left are Leanne Koorey, Jill Dimond, Lucy Sheehan, Francis Radloff, Anna Bodie, Amy Watkins and Emma Sheehan, and kneeling are Gina Lowe, Simon Nyika and Katie Phillip. Photo: Viv Posselt
