First leg: Walk for Dementia campaigner Mick Simpson lead teachers, students and community members from Merrigum as he arrives in the town to complete the first leg of his 12-day and 184 kilometre walk from Kyabram to Parliament House in Melbourne.
Merrigum primary school children were the first to provide inspiration for Kyabram dementia campaigner Mick Simpson as he completed the initial leg of his 12-day Walk for Dementia on Friday.
The population of the tiny school, along with Merrigum Lions, turned out in force as Mr Simpson completed the four-hour leg from Kyabram to Merrigum to start his 184 kilometre trek from Kyabram’s Allan Street Memorial Gardens to the steps of Parliament House in Spring St, Melbourne.
It is the second occasion that Mr Simpson has attempted the walk, raising $8000 last year. A significantly increased response to this year’s event has him aiming to raise $20,000 — supporting not only the Goulburn Valley and Campaspe dementia group which is now meeting on a monthly basis in Kyabram, but also childhood dementia.
The walk continued on Saturday, from Merrigum to Tatura, before the third leg of the journey ended at Murchison.
On Monday (June 12) Mr Simpson arrived at Nagambie and on Tuesday, June 13 he will arrive at Seymour.
On Wednesday, (June 14) he will be walking to Broadford, followed by the Kilmore leg of the challenging course and then a series of walks in the suburbs of Melbourne before eventually meeting State Member for Murray Plains Peter Walsh on the steps of Parliament House.
Mr Walsh himself will embark on his own challenge when he tackles the Kokoda Trail in the near future. He provided Mr Simpson with his ‘’running’’ shoes for the event, while his wife Liz Spicer (Chaplain at Kyabram P-12 College) provided the blessing of the walk.
More on pages 7-9 of today’s edition.
Bless this walker: Kyabram P-12 College Chaplain Liz Spicer provided the blessing of the walk at Allan Street’s Memorial Gardens on Friday morning before Mick Simpson set off on his fifth “memory walk’’.