Fo Guang Shan Christchurch and the Buddha’s Light International Association (BLIA) South Island have been actively promoting the Global Charity VegeRun launched by the Pure Green Foundation. In 2024, the VegeRun events were held at Merrin Primary School and Hornby High School in Christchurch on 18th and 20th September respectively. These two running activities were held in the school fields, with nearly 750 students participating. BLIA South Island President Bernie SIEW and the 3rd Subchapter President Peiyi KEOW led nearly 10 BLIA members in cheering on the students.
This charity event was organised in response to the call of ” You Run, I Plant Trees.” For every 10 km run completed by the students, one tree would be planted, contributing to environmental protection. The students accumulated a total of 70 trees after the run and demonstrated their passion for environmental protection. President Bernie emphasized the importance of ecology and establishing a symbiotic relationship with Mother Earth in his speech to the students. He also expressed gratitude to the schools and students for their enthusiastic participation.
The students run with their year group and on average each student completed three laps. Notably, at Hornby High School, three students continued running for a total of 10 laps each. To recognize their efforts, Hornby High School invited these students to receive the “Three Acts of Goodness” BLIA Cup Basketball on behalf of all participants.
Hornby High School Deputy Principal Karen Wheeler and Assistant Principal Terry Mitchell showed strong support for the VegRun event. The school has had good interactions with the FGS Temple over the years and this was the third year they participated in the VegeRun. Karen and Terry thanked the Temple for the arrangement, noting the benefits for student’s physical and mental health, as well as its contribution to environmental protection. Merrin School joined the VegeRun for the first time. Team leader teacher Roz Archbold appreciated that the event helped students contribute to environmental protection and understand the importance of caring for Mother Earth.
Participating students expressed pride in their efforts to support ecological protection and appreciated the opportunity to work alongside BLIA members worldwide. The Temple provided bookmarks and pencils as souvenirs and presented the “Three Acts of Goodness” BLIA Cup Basketball to the schools, allowing everyone to share in the warmth and joy of participating in these meaningful activities.