Carinity Education Glendyne in Hervey Bay is supporting Claude “The Mower Man” Harvey and his fundraising efforts for Bravehearts.
Over the past 14 years, Claude has raised $1.6 million for the Australian child protection organisation, which works to prevent child sexual assault, by pushing his lawnmower around the country.
On October 30 he visited Carinity Education Glendyne in Nikenbah on his way to Hervey Bay, the latest stop on a 30-day trek from Sunshine Coast to Wide Bay.
Carinity Education Glendyne Deputy Principal Brian Hawthorne says there is a kinship between Carinity and Bravehearts, given both organisations have been supporting at-risk youth since the late-1990s.
“Our school community is happy and proud to support Claude and Bravehearts as that organisation, like Carinity, strives to give at-risk youth a better future,” Brian says.
“For more than 20 years our independent school has helped disadvantaged young people who have not succeeded at other schools to transition to become valuable contributors to their community.”
A 75-year-old former lawnmower salesman from the Gold Coast, Claude travels around Australia five months a year shaking the Bravehearts donation bucket.
“I absolutely adore the Bravehearts education programs in the schools and I think it’s the best education program in this world to teach children how to be safe,” Claude says.
His dedication was recognised last year when he awarded an Order of Australia medal (OAM) in the Queen’s Birthday honours list.
“The first time I did a walk I walked 120km from one end of the Gold Coast to the other and everybody just looked at me. I only got donation and that was for 35 cents,” Claude recalls.
Claude, who hopes to raise $2 million for Bravehearts by 2022, will round out his current fundraising journey by visiting Howard, Gin Gin, Gladstone, 1770, Agnes Water, Burnett Heads, Bargara and Bundaberg.
