By LACHLAN MOORHEAD
AN ANNUAL Walk for Disability throughout the City of Casey will be one of Mayor Amanda Stapledon’s strongest legacies.
The Mayor’s Walk for Disability will be a yearly event after a motion was carried in council this week to make the initiative an annual occurrence.
After completing the incredible walk last month, Mayor Stapledon put forward the motion to make it an annual event and was overwhelmed by the positive response from council.
“Councillors came to me and wanted it to be a regular occurrence,” Cr Stapledon said.
“It gives us confirmation that we’re on the right track and it also gives us confirmation of what a great community have.”
The mayor’s two-week 75-kilometre walk saw Cr Stapledon and her group of walkers visit a range of schools, facilities and businesses in a bid to raise disability awareness throughout the City of Casey.
Cr Stapledon said the inaugural walk was inspired by a couple of other fund-raising walks she had previously been involved in, including past Casey Mayor Janet Halsall’s Walk for Windermere and Flinders MP Greg Hunt’s Walk for Autism.
“I remember Mr Hunt still managed to run his office while he was walking and raised such a large awareness,” she said.
“This is what inspired me. After being involved with those walks I realised I would really love to do something similar.”
Cr Stapledon said one of the only changes she would suggest for the walk is that it also takes place over weekends in order for working councillors and residents to still take part in the initiative on Saturdays and Sundays.
“I had thought about it being an annual event after the sheer request from the community,” she said.
“It is something that they all can participate in and I wanted this to continue.”
Even when she passes the mayoral baton to her successor, Cr Stapledon said she looked forward to joining in on the Mayor’s Walk every year.
