Thieves walk with fundraiser’s livelihood

JOHN VAN KLAVEREN
GEELONG’S “long walk” charity fundraiser has become the latest victim of heartless thieves who stole the tools of his trade.
John Olsen, who has walked Australia from west to east and north to south, is $3000 out of pocket after the theft.
Mr Olsen said he left his work van in a locked shed fitted with security lighting at Newcomb.
“Last Monday they smashed a window, broke into my van and took all my tools and my trailer,” Mr Olsen said.
“They didn’t even leave me with a hammer to hit myself on the head.”
Mr Olsen said he used the lifetime’s collection of tools in his kitchen and bathroom renovation business, Heritage Creations.
“I’ll be discovering for months exactly what has gone. All the bits add up but they’re pretty much useless to anyone except me.”
Mr Olsen appeared on the 2010/2011Geelong-Colac telephone directory cover as part of Sensis’s Courageous Australians series.
He covered more than 12,000 kilometres in 400 days on his two epic walks, raising $140,000 for Australian Leukodystrophy Support Group.
The self-effacing Mr Olsen said his tools were replaceable.
“No one got killed, so I just grin and bear it.
“I don’t make a lot of money but I do make a lot of friends.”