sidelined

In all the bad publicity that NRL players can received for off field incidents, a lot of good deeds do go unnoticed. One that shouldn’t is Eels players Nathan Hindmarsh, Daniel Wagon and Mark Ridell taking on the Kokoda Track for White Ribbon, an organisation that aims to end men’s violence against women.

The Trek is on from October 2nd to 11th. One group will have Wagon and Ridell (who will be Piggy no more on return), the other Nathan Hindmarsh (pending representative commitments) with Paul Aiton (Panthers and Papua New Guinea rep) and Andrew O’Keefe who is some TV guy.

Over the fold is more information taken from a flyer (thanks to Skepticlawyer):

WHITE RIBBON NRL KOKODA TREK

2 - 11 OCTOBER 2007
Presented by

Trek Kokoda with Rugby League Stars
Get in early to choose which Trek you join!
Trek one features:
• Mark Riddell, Parramatta Eels player
• Daniel Wagon, Parramatta Eels player

Trek two features:
• Andrew O’Keefe, Channel 7 personality and
White Ribbon Day chairman
• Paul Aiton, Penrith Panthers and Papua New
Guinea player
• Nathan Hindmarsh, Parammatta Eels player
(subject to international selection)

The Kokoda Track
“They died so young. They missed so much. They gave up so much: their hopes; their dreams; their loved ones; they laid down their lives so that their friends might live. Greater love hath no man than this.”
Ralph Honner, former CO, 39 th Battalion

The Kokoda Track is one of the great treks of the world. It’s also a place that holds a very important place in our history. From July 1942, the 96 km route over the Owen Stanley Range witnessed the battle hardened Japanese war machine encounter young, unprepared, unproven and hopelessly outnumbered Australian soldiers.

Few Australians have any understanding of the challenges faced by those 13,500 young Australians who first trekked Kokoda in 1942 to make a wartime stand at the battle of Isurava. These young men, who were on average barely 18 years of age, faced terrible hardship and danger during those four days of battle between August 26 and 30. Even so, the victory they fought for was instrumental in securing Port Moresby against the invading Japanese forces, denying a forward mounting base for their inevitable insertion into mainland Australia.

White Ribbon NRL Trek

In 2004, Executive Excellence hosted 60 Australian trekkers and the first ever Anzac Day ceremony held on the Kokoda Track. In 2005, 105 trekkers and in 2006, 130 trekkers attended the Executive Excellence Anzac Day Service at Isurava. In 2007, Executive Excellence will join with Australia’s CEO Challenge and the National Rugby League to hold a White Ribbon NRL Trek of the Kokoda Track.

Two treks of twenty people will travel across the Kokoda Track with a commemorative service, honouring the soldiers who fought, being held at a sacred point along the track. Each group will include rugby league stars that will assist specialist Executive Excellence staff lead each trek.

Corporate Groups are catered for as a part of the White Ribbon NRL Trek. Corporate Treks are an ideal opportunity for companies to trek Kokoda with key clients, allowing them to enhance and reward relationships. The White Ribbon NRL Kokoda Trek is also a perfect way to reward high-achieving employees, or to send employee teams as a development and motivational exercise.

Trekking to support White Ribbon Day

White Ribbon Day is the largest effort by men across the world, working in partnership with women, to end men’s violence against women. On November 25 each year, hundreds of thousands of people around the world wear white ribbons to encourage all men to speak out against violence towards women.

By participating in the White Ribbon NRL Kokoda Trek you will not only complete a historic trek as a mark of respect to the young Australians whose lives were at risk, and lost, during this battle. You will also be acknowledging the millions of women around the world whose very lives are at risk, everyday, due to violence.

Women who are being physically and psychologically abused in their own homes, in their workplaces, on our streets, throughout our community. By taking part in White Ribbon Kokoda you will join millions around the world by saying that you will not commit, condone or remain silent about violence against women and children.

In Australia:
• More than 1 million women have experienced violence during a relationship
• More than 85% of all domestic violence is perpetrated by men against women
• 57% of women have experienced at least one incident of physical or sexual
violence during their lifetime
• Domestic violence costs as estimated $8.1 billion annually to the Australian
economy, with $1.5 billion of this borne by the business sector.

Australia’s CEO Challenge is the lead organisation for White Ribbon Day throughout Queensland. Proceeds of the White Ribbon NRL Trek will be donated by Executive Excellence to be used by Australia’s CEO Challenge for White Ribbon Day activities and other anti-violence educational programs. The White Ribbon Day Leadership Group in Australia is chaired by Andrew O’Keefe and has a representative from the National Rugby League. White Ribbon Day also has high-profile men as ambassadors from all sectors of our society. Find out more about White Ribbon Day
at: www.whiteribbonday.org.au

Investment and Preparation Process

Inclusions:
• Full professional indemnity, public liability and aircraft charter liability insurance. Personal travel insurance.
• Eight week fully supervised Adventure Fitness Preparation Program or twelve week Remote Program
• Return economy airfare from Brisbane to Port Moresby
• Two nights accommodation in Port Moresby (4-star) on a twin share basis
• Restaurant meals in Port Moresby
• Charter flight from Port Moresby to Kokoda
• All transfers and transport in Papua New Guinea
• Seven night’s accommodation on the track in a village hut, tent or bush camp
• All food during the trek. All personal camping and cooking equipment.
• Local PNG porters for group equipment
• Dry cleaning of boots following the trek
• Specialised Executive Excellence adventure trek clothing including trek shirts, night shirts and trek hat
• A trip to Bomana War Cemetery
• Experienced Australian trek leaders and medical staff
Exclusions:
• Boots, socks and shorts
• Personal toiletries and personal porters
• Visa and Inoculations

Administration process:
• All participants must have received medical clearance prior to the commencement of training.
• A $2,000 deposit is required to secure your position on the trek.
• Once this deposit is received you will be sent a Kokoda Pre-Trek package and the administrative preparation for your trek will commence.
•Remote training (interstate participants) commences mid July and supervised training (Brisbane based) commences early August.
•Full payment is required 60 days prior to departure.
•EE will manage, amend and modify all training and advise participants that they are physically and psychologically prepared to complete the adventure.

Further Information and Presentations

For further information or group presentations on the White Ribbon Kokoda Trek, please contact Michelle Auliff from Executive Excellence on (07) 3637 0300 or ma@executiveexcellence.com.au.

For more information on White Ribbon Day or Australia’s CEO Challenge, please contact Ben Pennings on 07 3119 6347 or director.ceochallenge@minterellison.com.

$7,000/person including $1250 to WRD and Anti-Violence Programs