A Beaudesert Kingfishers ground announcer is set to test his physical and mental endurance by walking continuously around RS Willis Park for 24 hours to raise funds and awareness for Type 1 Diabetes.
Tyson Major will begin the challenge at 11am on July 31, walking laps of the Kingfishers’ home ground until 11am on August 1, with proceeds supporting the Type 1 Foundation Australia.
Mr Major, who has completed the Kokoda Track three times and is preparing for his fourth and fifth crossings this year, said the idea had been in the back of his mind for some time.
“I thought of doing it at Jimboomba Thunder and now we’re at the Kingies and the club’s so supportive,” he said.
“I thought of it one day and then hit the committee up and they were all for it.”
As well as fundraising, Mr Major has submitted the attempt to Guinness World Records in the hope of establishing a record for walking laps over a 24-hour period.
Businesses have been invited to sponsor individual hours of the challenge, with community members encouraged to join him for part of the walk.
While the physical challenge will be significant, Mr Major expects the biggest obstacle will be maintaining focus through the night.
“It’s going to be the boredom factor,” he said.
“Especially when I’m on my own in the cold, in the middle of the night… just trying to continue on for 24 hours.”
He said he hoped the event would bring the community together while highlighting the impact of Type 1 Diabetes.
“There’s a lot of people in this region that have Type 1,” he said.
“Sadly, it’s a disease that’s becoming more prevalent but there’s no cure for it at the moment, so you can only raise awareness and raise some funds for the Type 1 Foundation.”
The community is invited to drop in throughout the challenge, with a sausage sizzle planned on Saturday morning.
“If anyone wants to come down, the lights will be on, so come and kick at footy at one o’clock in the morning,” he said.
“I’m really just looking forward to bringing the community together.”
