[Interview] Trailwalker’s Most Extraordinary Fundraising Story

No two fundraising efforts are alike.

The place where charity, creativity, and community converge is called 'Songdo Team Prau boxing gym.'

I always had it in mind that I would like to share the positive energy you get from working out with other people. I came across Oxfam Trailwalker just when I was trying to figure out a way to achieve this. Walking together and being able to raise money for charity? Needless to say, it was right up our alley. Unlike other events, where finish time or challenging one’s limit is the end game, Oxfam Trailwalker also places a focus on fundraising in a beautiful natural setting. Once we signed up we immediately implemented a brainstorming session. We grappled to find ways to make donations feel less burdensome and more enjoyable. We’ve put our heads together and came up with the so-called “Gibu & Take” project.


01. Donations Made With Great Appreciation and Happiness 'Funny Money'
Once fundraising efforts got underway, donating and sharing has become the norm around the gym. We received donations ranging from locally obtained tomatoes, and home-grown potatoes to home-made natural craft soaps laying aside sales proceeds by labeling it “Funny Money.” Along with that, our coach offered one to one sparring lessons and mitt drills since after all we were a boxing outfit. What started out as a contribution from our coach has settled into a “talent donation day” on Friday evenings every second week of the month. In addition, ten percent out of wrap up party expenses gets set aside as part of the funny money as well.




02. Sports Day Fundraiser
We even organized a sports day fundraising event back in 28 June. We announced that all the proceeds from ticket sales(10,000 Won for adults, 5,000 for kids) will be donated to charity, while inviting friends and colleagues over to hear us talk about what Oxfam Trailwalker was all about. Notably, sports day was a chance for kids to experience at first hand that “donations” can be fun and exciting.
 
Around forty or so participants tried their hand at jianzi, knee-wrestling, tug-of-war, three-legged race and so much more. Winning or losing was secondary, and all that mattered to them was to fall in line with the spirit of participation. After activities Lee Jeong Mok, the team leader of Songdo Outboxer, handed out prearranged prizes to the winning teams and was able to raise total of three hundred and twenty thousand Won. We realized then, that that was what “Oxfam Trailwalker” was all about. Group of four walking 100km in 38 hours creating memory to last a lifetime while raising funds to support life-saving projects around the world.   


03. Fundraising Drive is Underway...
There are times when you feel like you’ve hit a wall while talking to people about fundraising, since they tend to have different set of values from ours regarding donations. You get questions like, “Shouldn’t we need to address suffering in our own county first, rather than go out of our way to help people in some foreign land?” I think we need to accept the fact that everyone has a different notion about donations, and therefore we should respect each other’s positions. I guess you simply have to follow where your heart leads. At first, I must admit, I was a bit intimidated by the idea of fundraising, but now I feel nothing but gratitude. You can’t help but feel you’re a part of something worthwhile, and it’s really great to see spirit of sharing and giving spreading out from our gym. On that note, I must thank Oxfam Trailwalker for giving us this opportunity.