EFFORT and dedication paid off for Ulladulla finest as they successfully took on a mountainous stair challenge for a good cause.
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Fire and Rescue NSW 477 Ulladulla members took part in the Sydney Tower Eye's stairs to raise funds for motor neurone disease (MND) research event on Saturday, November 9.
The team, led by Captain Paul Collins, took on the 1504 steps while wearing more than 20 kilograms of firefighting gear.
Anthony Walsh, Shannon Bartley and Aaron Owers powered up the stairs with Captain Collins.
Team member Nathan Garrett did not take on the stairs as he was called away to help in the current bushfire emergency situation in the North Coast.
The team raised an impressive amount of money in the process.
They wanted to raise $10 000 but their finished tally was $20 068 which was an outstanding effort.
Anthony Walsh led the way in the fundraising department with $13 127.
Anthony was the second-highest individual fundraiser in NSW.
Captain Collins said Anthony's suggestion to hold a golf day was a great idea.
While raising money and awareness by completing the gruelling climb for MND research the firefighters ran for Mollymook woman Jo Woodward and husband Max.
Jo suffers from the condition which affects her speech, swallowing and breathing.
Captain Collins said the task had brought the group closer together.
"There has been a spike in morale," he said.
"I think it has made us work better as a team."
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Meanwhile, the event organisers had a meeting the night before the climb to decide if they should progress or not.
The committee was up late on Friday night discussing whether or not it was appropriate or safe to still go ahead with the climb due to the emergency situations both in the upper east coast and Blue Mountains of NSW.
It was decided that due to the hard work throughout the year of the individuals and team fundraisers and the number of interstate and international climbers that no matter what, the climb would still go ahead even if there was only one firefighter climbing.
The organisers did everything they could to move climb times and do anything they could to accommodate late arrivals or early departures to get crews away for task forces and deployment.
The event's committee noted that although this is an event generously supported by FRNSW, all involvement is voluntary, this includes climbers, support and management.
