Thu, 21 Jan, 2021 - 12:19
Macroom man to complete 1,000km run for Cambodia cause

Macroom man Billy Murphy is taking on a 1000km charity challenge in the hope of raising funds to purchase a home for a Cambodian family.

The 30-year-old construction worker, who said he would not describe himself as a runner, ran a total of 80km in 2020 and is determined to run the equivalent of Cork to Germany by November in aid of charity.

To complete his challenge by November 1, Billy will have to run 100km a month, or just over a half marathon a week to meet his goal.

Billy is raising funds for the One Family At A Time (OFAAT) charity, which was set up by his best friends mother, who lives in Australia.

“I lived in Australia from 2011 to 2016 and Becs was a good friend of mine, we have kept in touch over the years and her mother Jenny Jackson set up OFAAT in 2015.

Billy went to Cambodia in 2016 to see the poverty and hardship endured by the local people first hand and witness a house being bought and handed over to a family.

“I’m building a house for myself at the moment and it just made me realise how privileged I was to be able to do that. I decided to set myself a challenge and try and raise enough to buy a home for a Cambodian family.”

Chatting about his goal, Billy said, “I wouldn’t describe myself as a runner, this isn’t something I would normally be doing, but I have given it some thought and it is something I want to do.” Billy said his family and friends have been very supportive of his challenge, particularly his parents Patrick and Sheila.

“Everyone just told me to go for it, I have two brothers and my whole family has been very supportive,” Billy said he started his challenge the other night in the wind, rain, cold and dark.

“I was just thinking about the outcome, about giving a home to a family, that is what is keeping me going.”

To donate to Billy’s GoFundMe, follow this [www.gofundme.com/f/running-to-germany-f ... -beginning
]link.[/url]
https://www.echolive.ie/corknews/arid-40211546.html

CEOCambodiaNews wrote: ↑Thu Jan 21, 2021 9:35 pm Thu, 21 Jan, 2021 - 12:19
Macroom man to complete 1,000km run for Cambodia cause



“I’m building a house for myself at the moment and it just made me realise how privileged I was to be able to do that. I decided to set myself a challenge and try and raise enough to buy a home for a Cambodian family.”

]link.[/url]
https://www.echolive.ie/corknews/arid-40211546.html

Hey why don't you just stay home and work save your own money then buy a poor Cambodian family a home? You will feel much better than using other people's money to do your charity work
But that's not how's it done for rich privileged kids is it.

I for one find this type of subject difficult to relate too and find genuine. Although this particular story and the guys intentions maybe that of honesty and the will to help others.
Why do I have a problem you may ask with this kind of project, the answer is that many years ago here I found myself being drawn into a scam of the same nature.
I was returning from Phnom Penh after I bought my first and only motocross motorcycle in Cambodia. I was heading towards the Thai border passing through the Cardamom, stopping for my second hot coffee and first bite to eat, the coffee that I now craved more then ever since my interrupted visit at the last coffee stop on highway 4, when two braided offices got out of their vehicle and gave my bike it seems a thorough check over, also taking photos on their mobile phones and writing down notes on the the clipboard one had in his hands.
Now like I say the coffee was also that of a more so stimulant knowing that anytime I may be pulled over because the bike had no papers, and it would only be a matter of time before those two highly decorated offices knew so, and I didn't really want any type of problem that would hold me up timewise, my intention was to leave the bike at the border town, obviously on the Cambodian side until I returned, but now I was heading for Bangkok to visit someone before she moves back to Europe in a few days time.
I made my order of a rice dish, the cafe owner spoke English very well, and the coffee was strong.
After I had finished my food, the owner came and sat with me, she was very forward and bubbly making general chit chat, then she opened the book she had placed on the table beforehand when first bringing over my food order. She started to tell me about the project, it was to house people in unfortunate situations, people whom for whatever reason had found themselves in a situation of poverty. Illness resulting in debt's to even land grabs in the area. The book was that of a portfolio of the project, showing plenty of photos of the people the housing was built for, and that of the house construction and materials, plus that of a rough costing per house.
Her business partner was a young western man who took on the builds, she provided the allocated land area for such builds has they were needed. It was also organised that the building of per house would be that of overseas western people, such being of a working holiday,, lodging and food provided doing something good and charitable, but also paying for the privelige.
She asked me for a small donation of $100. I returned the answer where were the buildings in the photos, she replied not far from here, down the hillside towards the rice fields. "Can we go look"? She replied it may disturb the people and I have no one to look after the restaurant if I go outside, also adding why don't I donate "$50 if I wished". She was very persistent and also getting aggregate in her demand for a donation. I think I could now feel the scam at this time, (but there's always, I may be wrong) but being that there was two other staff working for her in the restaurant, and the project was very nearby, she had many excuses not to show me the real project, but only a well prepared portfolio.
I paid my food bill, saying too her that I am in a hurry, but I will return, hoping to see your project first hand next time I visit, you could possibly make some arrangements.
I did pass again sometime later, but the restaurant was now gone, and still I saw no houses on that hillside.

CEOCambodiaNews wrote: ↑Thu Jan 21, 2021 9:35 pm Thu, 21 Jan, 2021 - 12:19
Macroom man to complete 1,000km run for Cambodia cause
To complete his challenge by November 1, Billy will have to run 100km a month, or just over a half marathon a week to meet his goal.

Always nice when raving text being produced.

Rephrase wrote: Billy will have to run 100km a month, or just over three km a day to meet his goal, a 20 minute run every day.

But nice he's doing something for the poor. Hope he has boots on the ground to get the project going and prevent scams from happening.

IRISH GUY EXERCISES TWENTY MINUTES A DAY.

News at eleven.

jaynewcastle wrote: ↑Fri Jan 22, 2021 1:46 am If the guy come to Cambodia & had drunk or taken enough drugs to kill himself, he would get more respect from some members on here

Quite bizarre

As long as he spent his own money and didn't gofundme, then yes