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18 September, 2020

Chimu’s James McAlloon nears finish line of mammoth fundraising trek

Chimu Adventures’ relationship manager for Queensland, James McAlloon, will finish his mammoth Footsteps for Food fundraising trek at Uluru on Saturday.

Before McAlloon completes his incredible 3,000-plus-kilometre journey, Chimu is raffling off a free trip to Antarctica as a final incentive to join the Footsteps for Food movement and make a real difference to people in need.

For the past three months, McAlloon has selflessly battled his way across the rugged terrain and arid landscapes of inland Australia on his epic solo trek to raise money for South American families devastated by the impacts of COVID-19.

After departing Queensland’s Sunshine Coast on 1 July, McAlloon has endured shin splints, exhaustion, sore feet, sunburn, and two weeks of quarantine in a remote South Australian hotel.

He has overcome blown trolley tyres, worn through four pairs of shoes, and faced up to the disappointment of being unable to complete his original itinerary in Bunbury, West Australia due to current border restrictions.

Walking up to 60 kilometres per day, McAlloon has maintained a smile on his face throughout his entire journey as he’s encountered the many wonderful souls of remote Australia and adapted his plans around the challenges he’s faced.

“It’s quite surreal to finally be so close to the end of achieving something that was so far beyond my imagination, yet sad that what has been my life for the last three months is only a week from being over,” McAlloon said.

Tourism is a vital industry for many parts of South America. Millions of South American families rely on tourism for income, and without tourists, many people are facing an uncertain future.

So far, with the help of many generous donors, McAlloon has raised more than $30,000 for families in need. In many of these communities, as little as $40 is enough to feed a family of four for a week.

Chimu, in partnership with Latin American not-for-profit Medlife, recently began delivering the hundreds of food packages to families in Peru’s Cusco and Sacred Valley regions, and delivered packages to COVID-stricken families in Brazil with the Santa Marta appeal.

“I am gobsmacked that what initially was a crazy idea to help so many has been achieved,” McAlloon said.

Chimu’s ‘Win a Trip to Antarctica Raffle’ offers a great way to make a real difference to people’s lives who are doing it tough while securing a chance to win a trip of a lifetime to Antarctica.

So, why not cheer McAlloon on as he completes his final steps on his epic trek from Queensland’s Sunshine Coast to the iconic Uluru by purchasing a raffle ticket? Your purchase will make a real difference to people’s lives in an incredibly challenging time.

To support McAlloon on the final leg of his journey, please head to the Win a Trip to Antarctica page or the Footsteps for Food page for more information.

Chimu’s Charity, MAD Project, will manage all donations made to the journey.

For more information on McAlloon’s journey, click here. You can also follow his journey on Facebook.

Chimu Adventures also recently announced an Antarctica Flash Sale on select 2021/22 Antarctica itineraries aboard the Ocean Endeavour.

Already over 60 per cent full, season 2021/22 is proving to be incredibly popular with travellers.

The sale is on until the end of September and includes savings of up to 40 per cent off for bookings paid in full. There are also discounts up to 25 per cent off for deposit-only transactions, with a reduced deposit requirement for these departures.

Head to Chimu’s Antarctica Special Deals page for further details.

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chimu adventures Footsteps for Food fundraising James McAlloon trek