Group photo of SUSTC participants before the walk

Group photo of SUSTC participants before the walk

Group photo of SUSTC participants before the walk

At 6pm on June 14, 2014, “One Foundation 2014(Shenzhen)-Walk for Love” was opened in the Rock Plaza of Shenzhen OCT East which attracted 4000 participants from 1000 teams across China. 60 SUSTC staff and students in 15 teams also joined it thanks to the support and arrangement of SUSTC Volunteer Team (SUSTC Public Welfare Organization). Among these 60 members, 44 finished half of the journey 23.3km while the rest 16 walked through till the end — 48.4 km point.

On that day, 60 staff and students from SUSTC came to the Rock Plaza to sign up, do the check and warm-up orderly together with other teams. At 6pm sharp, “Walk for Love” event was officially kicked off along with the shots fired into the sky for walkers to go. According to the requirement, they need to walk a 48.4km-long mountainous road through Chaxi Valley, Tanxian Temple Station, Wutong Mountain Archway and Luohu Sports Stadium. The highest point is 636m high and the climbing path could accumulate to 1449m long. They encouraged and took care of each during the whole journey, walking forward through the stony roads, muddy paths and across the mountains by getting over both the physical and mental fatigue and illness caused by the heat. In the evening, the lights of their headlamps winded among the mountains while the moon shined in the sky with few clouds and stars. Such vast and beautiful views made walkers feel quite inspirational. When reaching the highest point, they were greeted by cheers — what a thrilling journey of love and youth passion.

After 9 hours of tough walks, all of our people passed through Point 5 (23km) at 3am on June 15. While 44 participants were helped by SUSTC Volunteer Team and our teachers to get on the bus and return to school, the other 16 decided to move on until they made it to the destination in another 7 hours.

After the event, some students expressed “Walk for Love” was more than a body-building exercise, it’s a test to our own will power and a demonstration of SUSTC members’ team spirit and cooperation to progress side by side.

    More than 10 people of SUSTC Volunteer Team provided logistic support and other services for this event through the whole journey.

 (Source: SUSTC Volunteer Team, Reporters: Zhao Zihan, Fang Xiangyu)