East to west: Matt Natonewski looks forward to his India journey.
By Michelle Herbison
THREE Geelong friends will battle up to 3500km of Indian roads in a tiny auto-rickshaw to raise funds for a poverty-stricken school this September.
Belmont’s Marcus Stephenson said the trip would be “one of the stupidest” things he would do in his life but looked forward to the adrenaline-filled adventure.
Trip instigator Matt Natonewski said Mr Stephenson and Sean Cadwallander “didn’t think twice” when he asked them to take part in the tri-yearly Auto-Rickshaw Run east to west across India.
The team hoped to raise $5000 to donate to poverty-stricken Taj Genj Welcome School in Agra, India, and to charity water supply projects.
Mr Natonewski said a number of sponsors from Geelong, including himself, had provided the school with regular funds for meals and uniforms but it still needed extra money.
Mr Natonewski said volunteers ran the school at a deficit teaching children between four and nine from a slum area.
“Our friends started running classes for local kids and now they have about 80 students.”
Mr Natonewski said the team would “wing it” trying to cross the country within two weeks.
About 70 per cent of entries were expected to finish the Auto-Rickshaw Run, he said.
“You’re on your own with no support,” Mr Natonewski said.
“Over there I’ve found there’s always someone to help you, so hopefully we’ll get ourselves out of trouble.”
He said the team would post updates and footage of their journey at www.twelfthmen.com.
A cocktail-dress fundraiser would be held from 7pm on June 23 at Geelong Racecourse for $40 including finger-food with drinks at bar prices, he said.
