LONG WAY HOME: Grahame Rayner and Steve Carroll, getting ready for an around Australia bike ride. Picture: Stephen Wark
A MEDOWIE man with a goal to rid the world of malaria has spent the past 18 months putting plans into action and will lead a motorcycle ride around Australia to further his dream.
Steve Carroll lost his 19-year-old daughter Michelle to malaria while holidaying in Borneo in 1989.
In honour of Michelle's memory and to raise money to fight the disease, the third most lethal in the world, Mr Carroll, a war veteran and a Rotarian, organised the Rotary Ride Around Australia Against Malaria.
"The long-term plan for this is for it to become a biennial event, run every two years," Mr Carroll said.
"We'll turn it into a relay of people who will go from here [Medowie] to as far as Brisbane then pick up and drop others along the way.
"Every penny raised will go to the project.
"Every penny spent would come out of the riders' pockets."
Mr Carroll will support the contingent of riders in a car.
The riders will be led by fellow Medowie resident and veteran Grahame Rayner.
Starting in Medowie at the Bull N Bush Hotel on March 2, the riders will go right around the country, visiting each mainland state until arriving in Newcastle on April 24.
Along the way Mr Carroll will speak at events, to RSL and Rotary groups, plus school children about his story, why he organised the ride and about malaria.
There will be a send-off for the contingent at the Bull N Bush Hotel on March 1.
All are welcome to wish the riders luck and donate funds for Mr Carroll's cause.
Article sourced from the Port Stephens Examiner -http://www.portstephensexaminer.com.au/story/2874326/daughters-death-inspires-epic-ride/
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