On Friday 11th August, the lean, mean, stair-climbing machines from Team Stray each smashed out the 1,103 steps to conquer Auckland’s Sky Tower, the tallest freestanding structure in the Southern Hemisphere, in the Step Up Sky Tower Challenge. Here’s how they fared.
Not only did they finish the climb in red hot times, the team also raised a whopping $8,082 for the Leukaemia & Blood Cancer New Zealand charity, which put them in the top 10 for team fundraising!
A huge thank you to our awesome sponsors:
AJ Hackett Bungy | Auckland Whale & Dolphin Safari | Great Sights Bay of Islands | Ngai Tahu Tourism | Rainforest Retreat | Real Journeys | Spaceships Rentals |
On June 12th, DC (Sales and Product Manager) signed up a team of five Stray staff members, including himself, Ollie (NZ National Sales Rep), Kayla (Marketing and Design Coordinator), Caroline (Operations Assistant), and Sam (Auckland Sales Rep), to do something that others may deem as ‘crazy’. Yes, we were signed up to take part in the Step Up Sky Tower Challenge!
What does this challenge involve?
It involves 1,103 stairs, a will to reach the top of Auckland’s iconic Sky Tower and fundraising for an amazing charity. The Step Up Challenge will take place on August 11th, and the Stray team has eagerly been preparing for it (check out our team page to donate here).
This challenge is run by the Leukaemia & Blood Cancer New Zealand charity, and the main purpose is to raise awareness and vital funds for the charity. Every day, six New Zealanders are diagnosed with Leukaemia or other related blood cancers, which is exactly why Stray wanted to be a part of this challenge: to help others who are in need and be a part of something bigger. The goal for each individual on the team is to fundraise $1,000, with a collective team effort of $5,000.
What has the Stray team been getting up to since June?
We’ve been working hard on both our fundraising efforts and our fitness training. As a team, we have headed out to train on stairs around Auckland City, and have also incorporated daily evening walks/runs up Mt Eden Summit for a bit more intensity. Individually, each team member has been working on their fitness levels by means of running, mountain biking, indoor netball and hitting the gym. We also try to use stairs over lifts or elevators where possible, just to get that extra training in!
In order to get our fundraising going, the team has been posting on social media, asking friends and family for donations, bake sales, and raffle ticket prizes. So far, we’ve managed to raise over $3,000 for this charity, with no intentions of slowing down! Wish us luck!
