Thursday 14 June 2007

Before we recount the day's adventure we must send a big thank you to John Fenn at Timbertop Caravan Park in Mandurah for generously providing extra accommodation at the last minute on Wednesday night. Your support is gratefully acknowledged!

Now on with the report!

Dudley Park Primary School in Mandurah was the first school we visited today. The runners entered through a side gate and ran up behind the school assembly. No one noticed us for a minute or so. A group of children were onstage, doing an act to the strains of Men at Work'€™s '€œDown Under'€, one of Australia'€™s unofficial national anthems. In due course we were introduced by the principal, and ran up to the front. Noivedya took the mic and told the assembled children about the World Harmony Run'€™s aims.

The Mayor, Paddi Creevey, was present to welcome the Run to the school and to Mandurah. She was very supportive of our endeavours and wished us all the best for the rest of our journey. We then headed out to the school oval with some of the students for a few laps with the Harmony Torch.

The next school we visited was Singleton Primary School, 14 km up the road. To get there we had to run along the appropriately named Harmony Parade! After a ceremony in front of the children, the teachers unveiled a huge orange harmony banner, which the students had made. Each class lined up and passed it to the next until the banner had completed a lap of Harmony Lake, a beautiful water feature conveniently located within the school grounds.

One team slipped away early and commenced pounding the bitumen along to the next school on our list, Secret Harbour Primary School. Debbie, the sports teacher, was waiting outside to meet the runners. She directed us along a path that led through a secret tunnel beneath the road, and we emerged into the sunlight to be greeted on the lawn by 600 cheering children. The students formed a corridor of two rows and '€œhigh-fived'€ the runners as they made their way to the podium.

Prabuddha Nicol addressed the student body whilst Rathin Boulton (the official musical accompanist of the Run) dashed off in search of the Harmony Run vehicle to retrieve his guitar. He got back just in time for the World Harmony Run song, which all 600-plus people sang with much enthusiasm. Then the pupils formed a vast circle and the Harmony Torch was passed around for everyone to hold.

The last school of the day was Bungaree Primary School. Apart from the large array of artwork, the highlight of the ceremony was when the children sang for us: '€œAbsolutely Everybody'€ by Vanessa Amarosi, accompanied by very energetic arm-waving!

The students had prepared some wonderful artwork for the occasion, the centrepiece being a huge rendition of the World Harmony Run logo. There was just enough time before the going-home bell for everyone to move across to the oval for a run with the torch after which, the principal kindly invited us back to the staff room for refreshments.

To finish the day'€™s running total, the team completed a final 10km stretch and then headed for Perth to spend the night and rest some weary limbs. It'€™s been a great journey with so many wonderful experiences and we all look forward to what tomorrow will bring.

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