Albury's Botanic Gardens (established in 1877) glistened in the early sunlight, as we prepared to embark on by far our biggest and busiest day of the Run to date.
This morning's run got underway with a limbering jog across the river to a new State – Victoria – and our first reception.
Gateway Village connects Albury (which is in New South Wales) and Wondonga (in Victoria). Here we met at the distinctive Porta Artwork, for a most significant ceremony.
Our running team were met by Councillor Kevin Mack – representing Mayor Alice Glachan of Albury – and the Mayor of Wodonga, Mark Byatt.
In two States, on opposites sides of Australia's largest river, seemingly separate and divided, Albury and Wodonga are renowned as "twin cities", taking great pride in the closeness of their cooperation and interconnection: living, radiant exemplars of peace-in-action.
Both spoke eloquently and with feeling about the significance of the Peace Run, in the context of the connectivity of their twin cities.
The team responded with their first rendition of the day of Sri Chinmoy's "Peace Run" song.
Also present were 9 girls from St Augustine's Primary School. These pupils had been preparing for the Run for some time, and their preparations were the subject of an impressive full page feature in this morning's "Border Mail" (click on image to expand). The story on the arrival of the runners the previous afternoon in Albury, also appeared on page 7 of the same paper.
Photographer Peter from the "Border Mail" was also at this morning's symbolic hand-over of the Torch between the two cities and two States. Katy, a reporter from local Radio 1494 2AY was filing "live" reports to her Station, interviewing several runners. "City Life", a magazine of the Wodonga Council were reporting on the event; and Prime TV reporter Melina Saris, with her cameraman, filmed all the proceedings and interviewed several runners, the Councillor, Mayor and a few of the children for a piece on this evening's nightly news.
The St Augustine's girls then took the Torch ...
... and led our runners ...
... along cycle paths ...
... to their school, where 80 of their fellow pupils awaited – along with a cameraman from WIN TV.
The students were clearly very well prepared for our arrival and eager anticipation filled the air. This was to be our first school presentation of this year's journey.
Out in the schoolyard, all the students held the Peace Torch and offered their own wishes for peace, to be carried with the Torch all around the continent.
In order to stay on schedule, a small contingent of our team started running the distance towards our next destination, Wangaratta.
The rest of us ran through the town to Melrose Primary School, to be greeted by 300 super-exuberant children.
To say these kids got right into the singing and accompanying actions of the Peace Run song, would be an understatement.
After we had presented our song and told about the Peace Run, the students made their own presentation to the runners.
Each runner was offered a "tool box" containing items to remind us of significant qualities we need to build and maintain a strong and good character.
All the kids then had their chance to hold the flaming Torch.
... and we departed, with our "tool boxes" to remind us always of Melrose Primary School, Wodonga.
From Melrose Primary School, the rest of our boys team helped cover the remaining kms into Wangaratta.
Unfortunately, due to discrepancies in the spelling of a certain road name between the printed map and GPS systems, the co-ordinates of our transition point could not be found ...
... resulting in a wide detour of about 30 extra km through a lovely forest and along some delightful dirt country roads.
As we were getting lost, God was meanwhile working on His latest Masterpiece...
Fortunately our girls team were unfazed by the distraction and made a beeline straight to Wangaratta where they were greeted at St. Patrick’s Primary School, where the students really prepared themselves for our arrival.
Beautiful art work with the theme of peace, love and harmony was laid down on the ground to create a Path of Peace which led the runners from the entrance gate to the ‘stage’.
We didn’t even need to introduce the Run ourselves because two lovely girls from the school did it on our behalf! (and later accepted the Certificate of Appreciation from us...)
Out on the front yard around 300 children gathered to hold the torch and asked many questions and we did have to reassure them that nobody had ever caught fire with the torch...
Not far from this school we were invited to Performing Arts Centre, Wangaratta (meaning ‘where the rivers meet'). Councillor Paul O’Brian welcomed us and offered a very moving speech and hoped that the message we are spreading would touch the hearts of all people involved. One particular statement he mentioned kept resonating inside us: "Bell is not a bell until it’s rung, Song is not a song until it’s sung, Heart is not a heart until it loves."
After his touching words we were delighted to accept lunch offered by the City Council which was highly refreshing.
Once the tired boys team finally made it into the reception to devour the remainder of the Council's generous vegetarian lunch, the girls team were feeling fresh and eager for some miles, so they took the Torch out of Wangaratta ...
... along quiet country roads towards Shepparton.
In Devonish, we were met by representatives of the Shepparton Runners Club, to whom we happily and gratefully handed the Torch for them to carry the final 50 km into Shepparton.
Daniel ran the final 10 km stretch into town.
Runners from Shepparton High School joined in for the final leg as the Torch surged into Shepparton. They represented cultures from Africa, Afghanistan, Indigenous and European. We were all looking forward to arriving in Shepparton, following some wonderful pre-publicity featuring the Mayor and our local organiser, Tihomir in the Shepparton News last week (click on image to expand).
The Mayor of Greater Shepparton, Councillor Jenny Houlihan, greeted our team, (including runners from the Shepparton Running Club and High School) in the company of all her Councillors ...
... then happily ran with the Torch around the corner to the welcome ceremony.
Mayor Houlihan spoke warmly and appreciatively of the Peace Run and its goals, and presented her letter of greeting to be carried back to Canberra to the ACT Chief Minister at the conclusion of the Run.
Isabelle Ryan, on behalf of Shepparton High School, spoke with great poise, confidence and enthusiasm.
Dinner and tonight's accommodation have been most generously provided by the local Sikh Community, in their beautiful and spacious temple complex.
Tonight's feast was unanimously declared "best meal of the Peace Run" to date!
Our hosts explained that for them, offering to their guests is considered a privelege and a blessing.
We were deeply moved and inspired by the generosity and kind hearts of all our hosts.
This was an extraordnary close to a busy, fruitful and rewarding day on the Peace Run.
