Last Sunday, Sydney transformed into a sea of vibrant running apparel and costumes as 90,000 participants laced up their shoes for the world’s largest fun run, the iconic City2Surf.
Cranbrook has lent its support to the beloved tradition – a staple on the Sydney calendar -on many occasions. Last Sunday was no exception, with students and teachers teaming up with the Sydney Children’s Hospital Foundation (SCHF) to host a Runner Aid Station in Dover Heights.
Waking before dawn, we arrived at Rodney Reserve eager to play our part in the special event. Our water station was almost the last stop before the runners arrived at Bondi. Our attire was purple volunteer t-shirts, and our job was to provide thirst-quenching drinks to runners as they travelled their last 3 kms from the City to Bondi.
While we waited for the first of the runners to arrive, we chatted, watched the early morning sun cast its golden glow over Sydney’s glorious skyline and decided that a human pyramid would be a good addition to the festive atmosphere.
Once runners started streaming past, we settled into our roles, handing out glasses of water and Gatorade to the diverse range of participants: Runners pushing wheelbarrows, some pushing lawnmowers, and blow-up dinosaurs popping up intermittently. The Fire & Rescue NSW team wearing full gear (weighing 20 kgs!) was seriously inspiring. But the runners who drew the biggest cheers from our group were the numerous Cranbrook student and teacher runners who travelled past.
I’d highly recommend this event to other students. It was a fantastic opportunity to give back, strengthen friendships, meet new people, and witness the power of collective effort firsthand. It was a great moment displaying the strong school spirit and pride in Cranbrook’s community. It was also a privilege to support a cause as important as Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation. Lastly, on behalf of all the students, I’d also like to thank the teachers Mr Nolan, Ms Usasz, Mr Uncles, Mr Metcalf, Mr Papandreas, Ms Christou and Ms Sheridan for making this fantastic service opportunity a possibility for us.
Sam Collison, Hone House Year 11
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