Run, Walk or Fly: Amnesty supporters tackle the City2Surf

• Published on 7/09/2009
• NSW Women’s Network

David Armstrong in full flight in City2Surf

Amnesty made its presence known this year at the City2Surf, with 108 people signing up to run for the cause, collectively raising $22,500.

Prominent among this group was AIA's Fundraising Manager David Armstrong, who ran the entire race with a beautiful yellow butterfly attached to his back.

Originally from Scotland, when David first began asking for costume suggestions he expected he would end up in a kilt. His only prerequisites were that it be durable, lightweight and manly. However, Amnesty's Stop Violence Against Women team had something quite different in mind...

The butterfly is the chosen symbol of hope for the 200,000 women, known as Comfort Women, who were forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese military during the Second World War. By running as a butterfly David not only personally raised $376 for Amnesty but also created a wonderful opportunity to raise public awareness and facilitate communication about this issue.

Henceforth and forever to be known by some members of the public as ‘Butterfly Man’, David insists that fundraising, at this level, is neither the time consuming or debasing experience it is sometimes made out to be. It took David 5 minutes to create his online fundraising page, and seconds to email it to his family and friends. “It’s easy” he says, “just ask and you will receive”.

Don’t miss your opportunity to join David and the Amnesty team next year in the City2Surf, which, according to David, will be both bigger and better.

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