Fun Run shows we can back a cause

 PAPUA New Guineans can and do support causes. 

Over the last six weeks there have been a number of walks, runs and marches that the public has got behind. 

By far the biggest has been the Trukai Fun Run. 

This annual event organised jointly by Trukai and the PNG Olympic Committee has one of the best participation rates for an annual fundraiser for sports in the country. 

The highest number of participants for the run, at least in Port Moresby, has breached the 30,000 mark and yesterday morning saw an estimated 20,000 plus residents take to the streets beginning and ending at Jack Pidik Park at Five Mile. 

The Pacific Games mascot Tura the kokomo (hornbill) made an appearance and as expected Sports Minister Justin Tkatchenko led the race at the starter’s gun. 

In Lae, the numbers were not quite as big, but the enthusiasm and commitment was just as apparent with some 5,000 fun runners having to brave rain to complete the course which started and ended at the Lae Showground. 

The Fun Run was also carried out in other provinces including East New Britain, Eastern Highlands and Western Highlands. 

Of course there are no winners in these events because the main aim is to have as many people turn out to support the cause; to get the public behind the idea. 

In terms of numbers, it is one of the few events that attract a large number people of all ages participating in an activity for a good cause. 

That good cause is the support of the country’s sports representatives to major regional and world events such as the Pacific Games, the Commonwealth Games and the Olympics. With the national government already committing half of the K3 million needed for Team PNG to the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, and the Youth Olympics in Nanjing, China, proceeds from the Fun Run which managed to raise half a million kina (Port Moresby and Lae figures). 

The Prime Minister’s Corporate Golf Challenge also raised more money for the same cause. 

The money has already been raised at the Trukai Fun Run T-shirt auction which takes place weeks before the run in Port Moresby and Lae. 

Companies purchase T-shirts on behalf of schools and other groups, and those schools and groups in turn may sell the T-shirts or give them away to interested participants mostly students and their families. 

Earlier this month, Tranparency International through its Papua New Guinea chapter staged its annual Walk Against Corruption, which attracted some 3,000 people. 

Last Week World Environment Day saw several hundred students from a number of schools march early on a Saturday morning to recognise day. 

Supporting a team of athletes that will represent the country at an international event is a worthy cause but it does seem a little disproportionate that people and companies are willing to back causes that do not really impact their society and communities as significantly as others which deal with issues like corruption and environmental damage. 

Perhaps Papua New Guineans are more comfortable in supporting the safe, “feel good” causes; the causes that take less effort and commitment in backing. 

This shows that when the people want to back a cause they can and will. 

One would have to say that the Fun Run is a participation-easy event. 

Participants are given easy access to T-shirts which are sold in nearly every school in the city at an affordable price (K5-K10); the course at around 10km (give or take a few hundred metres) is manageable at a slow jog or for many a brisk pace; it involves a lot of children so parents have to be there making it a family outing and; it promotes various health messages. 

Actually, it is fair to say that some sports like rugby league does engender fervent support especially when the Kumuls are playing or during State of Origin series. 

This is not taking anything away from the Fun Run as a worthy cause because after all sport is one of the pillars that the state has committed itself to developing over the last two terms. In fact sport has been referred as a key component helping to give the country’s youth (15-25 year-olds), easily the most volatile age bracket, something to aim for when opportunities in other areas are unfortunately limited. 

Still, having 20,000 plus take part in the Fun Run is impressive.