Most Saturdays, while a lot of us are still asleep, Sophie is up at 6.30am and heading to Strathalbyn parkrun. She’s been doing it for around three years, and she’s just clocked up her 100th time volunteering.
If you haven’t come across it, parkrun is a free, timed 5km event held every Saturday morning at hundreds of locations across Australia, and thousands more around the world. It runs entirely on volunteers, and that’s where Sophie comes in.
Over 100 mornings, Sophie has taken on just about every job going: timekeeping, scanning barcodes, handing out finish tokens, photography, and tail walking. She also delivers the first-timers’ briefing, standing up in front of a group of runners to talk them through how it all works. Strathalbyn is her home run, but she’s also volunteered at Mount Barker and Parkindula Reserve parkruns.
It’s a proper commitment. An early alarm, a regular team to show up for, and a role to own. Along the way Sophie has built friendships, become a familiar face in the local parkrun community, and taken on more responsibility with every event. It’s exactly the kind of thing her NDIS goals are about: being part of her community, connecting with people, and doing something that’s hers.
“I’ve just completed my 100 parkrun, makes me feel very proud. I like being out in the community to help others out.
I’ve done a few different roles, first timers briefing, finish tokens handing them out, I’ve done tail walker, I do like finish token and I do like photography. I like meeting new people and being involved in something.” – Sophie
Getting there week after week takes a bit of teamwork. Sophie is supported by Livit team members Katie, Elyce, Brett, Gemma and Sam, who are there alongside her every step of the way.
One hundred down. We reckon she’ll be there again this Saturday.
Congratulations, Sophie, from everyone at Livit.
