GJ Gardner Homes team to tackle Kokoda Track, raising $120,000 for charity in the process

Ms Smith will be joining a team of 16 staff covering seven GJ Gardner Homes franchisees across NSW and ACT to complete the gruelling Kokoda Track from August 5-14, raising $120,000 in support of two important charities in the process.

She said she was ready to embark on the renowned trek as her first overseas trip, and first hike in support of the vital work of Mates in Construction and Legacy Australia.

"I've never worked anywhere where the company has put together something like this," Ms Smith said.

"It's a really great feeling knowing we are doing this to help others but it's also a really good thing personally for me as it's a huge leap out of my comfort zone.

"I know it's going to be life changing."

Ms Smith has already raised $4150 herself, with the team already surpassing its $120,000 goal a week out from the journey.

"We've been doing lots of training to ensure we are prepared for the trek and I've been walking, running, doing fitness classes and weight training to prepare myself," Ms Smith said.

"This challenge just shows the quality of the people leading our franchisees, including our leadership team who are prepared to challenge themselves both physically and mentally in order to support those in the community who need it most."

GJ Gardner Homes chief executive officer Matt Hope will also be participating in the trek and said he was looking forward to challenging himself and sharing the journey with the franchise partners as well as his wife Jess.

"The past few years have been particularly difficult within the construction industry due to a number of factors including the fallout from COVID-19, constant labour shortages, as well as regular and steep increases in the cost of material," Mr Hope said.

"Thankfully we've been able to work through it all as a team and we've come out the other end a much better business."

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Mr Hope said he had also been involved in other charitable events such as Tour De Cure and serving on the board of Opportunity International.

Mates in Construction was established in 2013 to help reduce the high level of suicide among building and construction workers across Australia.

The other supported charity was Legacy, which recently celebrated 100 years of helping hundreds of thousands of Australian widows, families and children who have lost a veteran after serving the country.

"Both these charities mean a lot to our business and our franchisees as well as our customers," Mr Hope said.

Kokoda, located in the jungles of Papua New Guinea, is renowned as the location of the World War II battle between Japanese and Australian forces in 1942 and is a single-file foot thoroughfare that runs 96 kilometres.

To support the GJ Gardner Homes team, visit: www.mycause.com.au/events/gjgardnernswkokoda2023

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