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Keys House "Steps Up" for MS

A group of Scotch College boarders recently climbed 53 flights of stairs at Central Park in a bid to raise money for multiple sclerosis (MS) as part of the Enerflex "Step up for MS" challenge. The initiative helped raised a net profit of $130,000 for people living with MS.

Early morning Sunday 7 June 2009, very early morning, the sun broke through the mist and fog that hung like a blanket over the Scotch ovals in front of the Boarding House. It was yet another beautiful, pristine, rain free autumn day in Perth. This Sunday morning was a slightly different one however. Twenty five Scotch College Keys House Boarders were busy preparing for a unique physical challenge. Some boys were so keen, they didn't listen to the updated plan and got up at the original 5:45am time which had subsequently been changed. With the departure time set for 7:20 they had plenty of time to consider what lay ahead!

And so it was that last Sunday a very enthusiastic group of 25 students from Years 8 - 12 partook in the "Step up for MS" challenge in the city. The challenge consists of 53 flights or 1096 stairs up.....vertically....with very little air to breath. The boys did remarkably well, if only for their enthusiasm and good cheer. Plenty of banter ensured that the stakes would be high, with all doing their best to beat their mates. Tactics were discussed, psychological ploys initiated to try to get that little advantage. Some attempted to bound up three stairs at a time (not for long!), others went at a more sedentary but consistent pace of one step by one step, while yet others used their arms to haul themselves up the stairwell as fast as they could.

Whatever strategy they used, all boys completed the climb to the top. The finishing line greeted our young participants to not only a stunning view of the entire Perth landscape from ahigh early in the morning, but the equally welcoming smile of Mrs Menage who was volunteering at the top. That at least ensured the boys couldn't explicitly express just how painful the climb could be.....at least for some older participants. Keys House was very well represented by our boys, particularly considering these statistics:

• Tim Lefroy (Year 12) came 2nd in his category and 20th overall with an admirable time of 8:03
• Tom McClurg raised the most funds as a junior entrant with a very respectable $590 donated by all the good folk in Dongara (and to his pleasant surprise walking away with a Wii package valued at close to $500 as a prize!). To the envy of his peers, the CEO of MS WA, Mr Marcus Ashcroft, presented Tom with his prize at Assembly on Friday 12 June.
• The following boys combined well to fill a number of positions in the top 100 runners: Jack Sinclair (Yr 9 - 9:02 ), Courtney Junk (Yr 11 - 9:03), Cameron Brooks (Yr 11 - 9:34), Hamish Lamond (Yr 9 - 9:42), Michael Park (Yr 12 - 9:44), Henry Foulkes Taylor (Yr 10 - 9:44), Peter Folkes Slater (Yr 9 - 9:53) and Spencer Brooks (Yr 8 - 9:54).

A hearty congratulations to all Keys boys for having the 'get up and go' to be involved in "Step up for MS". It was a very worthwhile experience and one which enabled the MS Society of WA to raise over $130,000 (and still counting) for an important cause. More information about the day and MS can be found on the website: http://www.stepupforms.org.au/