Walk for the Soul 10,000 Steps Challenge

Great prizes to be won

The following prizes have been awarded: 

• Jane Bailey: 2 nights accommodation for 4 people at Mt Buller- Monash University Alpine Lodge, RRP $700 courtesy of Monash Sport 
• Ruth Patterson: 1 x Malvern Star 'Octane AL' Mountain Bike - RRP $349 each, kindly made available by Bayside Bike Hub
• Tammy Sawford: 12 month subscription to Good Health magazine for Monash Uni staff, rrp $59.95 courtesy of Mag Shop
• Random winners: $10 & $20 Coles Myer gift vouchers given out randomly at each campus if you are seen out walking and wearing your pedometer

Early bird Prize

If your team is registered before 5pm on Friday, 18th September all team members go into the draw for the chance to win:

• David Wells: a Malvern Star 'Octane AL' Mountain Bike - RRP $349, kindly made available by Bayside Bike Hub. 
• Rambling researchers & friends team: a Health Smart morning tea valued at $100

Award categories for teams

• Best over all Monash Team (won by the team who completed the challenge the first)
  

  For Mankind from Gippsland campus. Average number of steps each day per team member 30,753
  

• Best Monash Team (won by the team with the highest number of steps)
  For Mankind, total 7,522,934 steps for the whole challenge
  
• Best campus participation (highest % of participants for a campus)
  

  Bendigo, 57% of staff participated.
  

• Best campus teams (campus team who completed the challenge first)
  

  Caulfield - Psych Stars - Team captain: Felicity Allen
  Parkville  - CDCO's European Vacation - Team captain: Alison Gregg
  Clayton - Ares 8 - Team captain: Ruby He
  Peninsula - Ressies Rock - Team captain: Tricia Thorne
  Gippsland - For Mankind- Team captain: Shane Gill
  Malaysia - Stepping boldly forwards - Team captain: Arkendu sen
  VIFM - NCIS - Team captain: Marde Hoy
  Berwick - Berwick busy body - Team captain: Jan Ottrey
  Alfred - MIPHS - Team captain: Carla Renwick
  Bendigo - The Medici Fly - Team captain: Lisa Lavey

  
  

  Average number of steps for all Monash participants: 12,359

Your hand beaded wristband -  How your 10,000 Steps is empowering a South African community

The handmade beaded wristband included in your 10,000 Steps Challenge pack has provided much needed employment and support for the South African KwaNyuswa community.

The Valley of a Thousand Hills (in South Africa's KwaNyuswa region), with its soothing beauty has wooed artists and crafts people for centuries. However, it is plagued by severe unemployment, which is the primary cause of crime in this area and it carries an extremely high level of HIV/AIDS infection. The "Ubuhle Be" Valley Beadwork Project is an effective way to combat both, while enabling fellow community members to proudly identify with their heritage.

This enterprising project is popular among locals because of the economic empowerment it affords to community members. The beadwork project has already made a difference for locally skilled artists and crafters, enabling them to earn a living.

Bead-making also plays a fundamental role in facilitating participatory, locally driven, development initiatives that recognize and implement indigenously acquired skills. It helps sustain the KwaNyuswa community that already faces many challenges from recession. No matter what a community's size, it can benefit from a small project such as this that enables entire families to make an honest living from the sales of their artistic creations.  For more information visit www.vusikweyama.com/teamProjectsFlier.html 

Web links:
How to register
Team Captain - registration
Walking route
FAQ's
10,000 Steps Events at each campus
Wellbeing Homepage