Highlander Georgie Quinn will strap on her running shoes this August in memory of a friend.
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She will be participating in Civic2Surf, a charity run from Canberra to Sydney to raise money for mental health awareness charity Batyr.
The current ANU student was encouraged to join the run in 2016 by former president of Civic2Surf Harriet Nixon, who was tragically killed while volunteering at a festival ground on December 29, 2016.
“I’ve made so many friends being part of the run, and I was given a huge insight into mental health, it’s something I’m now really passionate about,” Georgie said.
“I was definitely not a runner, but Harriet and another Highlander Kyle Wood really encouraged me to join up.”
This year, Georgie is one of the event coordinators for the run, and said a plan was in the works to remember Harriet in the Highlands.
“We really want to remember Harriet and what she was passionate about, it wouldn’t make sense not to do something for her,” she said.
“We’re hoping to create an opportunity for family, friends and the community to run for Harriet.”
The Nixon family is still heavily involved in Civic2Surf, helping secure Bong Bong Racecourse as a midway resting place for the runners.
Georgie said Highland businesses had already been extremely generous in helping support the run.
“We’ve had lots of donations from food and coffee vendors, including Coffee Culture,” she said.
“We’re humbled that the local community understands our cause and wants to get on board.”
Civic2Surf will see 80 ANU university students run from Canberra through the Highlands to Sydney. Georgie said the run helped create a great amount of awareness and engagement with Batyr.
Batyr is a social enterprise with a focus on educating youth about poor mental health, and empowering youth to reach out for support.
One of Batyr’s strongest platforms is their ‘Being Herd’ seminars, where people who have experienced poor mental health and mental illness speak about their personal experiences in high schools and university halls.
Georgie attended one of these seminars when she first signed up for Civic2Surf.
“It was very confronting at times, but it really opened my eyes to how mental illness can affect a person,” she said.
“Being involved has made me realise how much I wish I knew about mental health in high school. There’s such an awful stigma around mental health, and it needs to be tackled as soon as possible.”
The 2017 Civic2Surf will take place from August 18, stopping in the Highlands that night, and finishes at Bondi Beach on August 19.
For more information about the event, visit their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/Civic2Surf/.
If you are interested in having Batyr visit your school, visit www.batyr.com.au/school-programs/.
