Well I’ve been a little slack in keeping everyone up to date with my fundraising and training for the Battle Of The Beasts in October.
However, I haven’t been slack in my fundraising and other efforts in raising awareness for Veteran’s Support Services. I have contacted numerous local businesses requesting support and sponsorship for my fundraising and have had a few promising leads and some disappointing rejections.
Being an ex-Soldier and current Defence employee I contacted a few of the larger companies that are contracted to provide services to the Department of Defence. My thinking was that these companies would be willing to spare a few dollars from the hundreds of millions Defence pays them to support an ex-serviceman raise some money for wounded Veterans and their families.
Well, shit! How wrong was I! I won’t name and shame them (yet!) but I received a couple of abrupt rejections and one very sarcastic and disrespectful reply to my very reasonable request for support. I took it with a grain of salt and contacted the respondent’s supervisor; but I was extremely disappointed with the attitude shown considering their supposed support of Defence members.
Anyway… Thanks to a small number of family and friends donating at this early stage we have reached $605 raised for Soldier On. I’m extremely happy about this and very thankful; and with a few months to go I’m confident we will surpass last years total.
I’ve been riding a fair bit lately and gaining fitness quite quickly. I’ve competed in two rounds of the 2013 CORC XC Series and have been riding my road bike around Canberra and to and from work. As usual I’ve been riding with The Berm crew on a regular basis and that keeps my spirits high and head level. There’s nothing quite like being encouraged, bagged out and enjoying a coffee and breakfast with people that love bikes as much as I do.
The Girly has been very supportive as always and understands that I will randomly go for a 3 hour ride when it’s freezing cold outside. She understands I ride because I enjoy it and it’s my rehabilitation for PTSD and depression.
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