By JESSE GRAHAM
YARRA Glen kids took off in hand-made Billy-carts at the Yarra Valley Racecourse earlier this month, as part of a race that brought together a range of community groups.
The race, which kicked off at 5.20pm on Friday 12 September, featured primary school and high school students from the Glen Youth Group racing in carts built in the Yarra Glen Men’s Shed over the term.
The Burrito Demolishers, Who Does That? and The Wiggle’s Batmobile, raced in teams with two pushers and one rider around the paths at the racecourse over the afternoon.
Yarra Glen Men’s Shed vice-president and Heartland Church pastor, Mike Baimbridge, said the kids ran in a relay-style race, swapping pushers as the drivers steered the carts around the tracks.
In the final race, The Burrito Demolishers placed first, followed by Who Does That and Wiggles Batmobile,
Mr Baimbridge said the race brought together the Men’s Shed, the church – which facilitates the youth group – and children from Yarra Glen, Healesville and Coldstream.
“The intergenerational relationships and the skills that were passed down from the older guys to young kids, many of whom have never had that kind of practical work before – that sort of thing is invaluable,” he said.
Heartland Church’s Sally Marshall, who helped organise the event, said the kids and the Men’s Shed men worked well together to design and build the Billy-carts.
“The kids formed the teams and they were all separate from their friends – they got to expand their friendship groups,” she said.
“It was their own work in the end.”
The Wiggle’s Batmobile was awarded for being the best designed Billy-cart.
For photos from the race, visit mail.starcommunity.com.au.
