Edging closer to $1 million

It has only been a month, but it now seems like I have been back home for much longer.  We are still getting things back to the rightful owners and finalising other items from additional fundraisers since returning home.  We had our finale ball on Friday 25^th September which was organised by a group of friends while I was away.  The girls thought at first that it would be a problem getting 300 people to attend the ball, but it was the complete opposite.  The tickets more or less sold out within the first week and we had to squeeze in extra tables to then cater for the sponsors who also came to the event.  We raised over $60,000 on the night from auctions and had an additional $40,000 donated in cheques from various groups and individuals.

I attended the Newport Arms Hotel as the guest speaker for the Liquor Trade Lunch, hosted by the Bayfield family.  The Liquor Marketing Group (Bottlemart) have been a great sponsor and with the Bayfields help, the luncheon raised over $160,000.  The day was a huge success and all the companies involved didn’t let us down on the day with some great donations.

Will we make the million dollars?  I still believe we can.  We still have money coming in from both of these functions mentioned and other groups that have been touched during my event around Australia are still collecting money.  Active Trees have also been raising money and we hope to get a further donation from their staff’s efforts in the next month.

Keep watching the website as I hope to see the million mark flash on the web page in the near future.

All the best, Craig

I’m coming home tomorrow!

Yesterday afternoon I wrote the blog before the day had finished as I knew by the time I jumped off the bike it would be dark and too late for the CCIA team to put it on the internet.  At 3.30pm I visited the NSW Police Academy and spoke to about 190 new police officers in their auditorium.  We received a number of donations from the new recruits and hopefully they will tell others of the journey.

I then left the Academy and jumped straight back on the bike from where I finished earlier and made the most of the weakening tail breeze.  The wind was still coming from the left side and behind which made the ride so much easier.  I clocked up about 150km for the day and got within 11okm of Sydney.  I finished in the dark with a flat tyre at Colo Vale and decided to call it a day.  We then travelled down to Wollongong where we were accommodated by the Wollongong Surf Leisure Resort.

It was up at 5.30am to a live interview in the studio with Marty and Bianca at i98FM.  After the interview it was straight to Diggies Cafe for breakfast with members of the Active Trees company in Wollongong.  It was no rest for the wicked as we then went to the Balgownie Public School who had been raising funds for our charity.  We had a talk with the student before heading back to North Beach to do an interview with WIN news.

I finally got back on the bike and enjoyed the ride back towards Sydney.  I seemed to have an abundance of energy and surged to Sutherland in no time.  I am now only one day away and going to stay the night in the Sutherland Motel before heading towards Rose Bay in the morning for my final journey up our magnificent harbour.  I am starting to pinch myself with the reality that I have returned to Sydney after 12,500km’s.

To all those coming to the Opera House tomorrow – See you then.

Regards, Craig

Speech at NSW Police Academy

Active Trees Breakfast

Balgownie Public School

WIN News Wollongong