He and coach Murphy, his dachshund, travelled to Cooma on Wednesday to explain why he is walking 1000km, starting in about three weeks time.

Michael talked about why he is walking 1000km and how walking that distance with 22kg on his back takes some planning, such as preparing food, posting it to places along the Bibbulmun Track in Western Australia, where he is walking and planning  for all kinds of weather, snakes, ticks, spiders and more.

As one insightful Cooma Rotarian said to Michael: “You know there are easier ways to raise money”.

His reply was “but I have the joy of knowing as I make my 1.5million steps over beaches, hills, forests and bush that I am walking for two causes I am passionate about, End Polion and the kids in Rang’I Kenya”.

He did admit that a bit of madness, in the nicest sense, does help.

Cooma Rotarians passed his bucket around and raised $365 to go towards The Rotary Club of Narooma’s 1000km Epic Walk.

“What a sum of money from just 30 at the meeting giving that these Rotarians are constantly giving their time and money to worthy causes,” Mr O’Connor said.

It even got better as he went with Murphy to have breakfast at, you won’t believe it, Murphy’s Cafe in Cooma where Mark JN, the Sergeant at Arms for Cooma Rotary owns and runs it. A fact that Mr O’Connor did not know.

He immediately offered to put a collection box on the counter to get some more support for Mr O’Connor.

I”t is experiences like that that makes being a Rotarian very rewarding,” he said.

“I don’t mind if people think I am nuts at 68 years of age, closer to 69, to do this as long as they think ‘Wow if he is doing this for these causes they must be worth supporting’.”

You can donate to The Rotary Club of Narooma at PO Box 151 Narooma NSW 2546 or BSB 082-744 A/c 823614070 or on the Everyday hero website.