The 2014 "Challenge 8 Hours" Charity Hiking Event, jointly organized by the China Youth Development Foundation and co-hosted by the Beijing Mentougou District Sports Bureau and Zhaitang Town People's Government, was recently officially launched.
This year’s event will take place on June 21, 2014, in the picturesque Zhaitang Town of Mentougou District, Beijing. At that time, individuals, families, companies, and NGO groups from all over the country will gather here to challenge themselves and hike for love, using the power of walking to help rural children grow up healthy and happy.
Zhaitang Town, surrounded by high mountains and narrow valleys, crisscrossed by ravines, connects to the capital in the east and reaches the desert in the west. Historically, it has been a strategic military location, known as the "Key Town of Western Beijing." It is also called the "Green Shield of Beijing," with the renowned Shuanglong Gorge and Lingshan Scenic Area, as well as ancient villages scattered across green hills and fields. Crystal-clear waters and blue skies are everywhere, offering a cool and comfortable climate—especially beautiful in June. The area is also a veteran revolutionary base where countless anti-Japanese heroes once composed heroic epics, boasts a glorious history of revolutionary struggle.
The "Challenge 8 Hours" Charity Hiking Event is a public welfare fundraising walk implemented by the China Youth Development Foundation. Having successfully held two editions, this year marks the third edition. Continuing the concept of combining outdoor hiking with public welfare, it encourages the public to challenge their physical limits while raising funds for charity projects. With the perseverance and determination demonstrated in completing the event, participants aim to inspire those around them to support and engage in public welfare.
It is reported that the funds raised in this event will be used to build “Project Hope Happy Sports Fields” in rural primary schools in remote areas, helping to improve sports facilities in these schools. A donation of 20,000 yuan is enough to equip a rural school with a set of sports equipment that meets national standards, supporting the school in carrying out campus sports activities.
The 2014 "Challenge 8 Hours" Charity Hiking Event is divided into three segments: a 30-kilometer challenge, a 20-kilometer experience, and a 10-kilometer family walk. The hiking routes are more reasonably designed with a human-centered approach. The 10-kilometer Red Journey and the 20-kilometer Reservoir Scenery routes mostly feature flat terrain, while the 30-kilometer pristine route alternates between mountain paths, paved roads, and dirt tracks, offering complex conditions with the highest elevation at 1,188 meters and the lowest at 420 meters, presenting a certain level of challenge. Participants can choose a suitable route based on their physical ability and enjoy different hiking landscapes.
This event accepts registrations from individuals, four-person teams, and family teams. Companies and social organizations may also form teams to participate. Each participant is required to raise a minimum amount of donations upon registration: 500 yuan per person for the 10-kilometer walk, 600 yuan per person for the 20-kilometer walk, and 800 yuan per person for the 30-kilometer walk—the more, the better. To encourage more participants to fundraise and rally others to join and support the event, the organizer, the China Youth Development Foundation, has set two key deadlines: anyone who contributes more than 100 yuan before June 1 will secure eligibility to participate. After the onsite event on June 21, participants will be given an additional month to continue fundraising. However, if participants fail to meet the minimum fundraising target within the specified time, the organizer reserves the right to deny their entry in future "Challenge 8 Hours" events. Participants in four-person teams who raise over 30,000 yuan (inclusive) or individuals who raise over 10,000 yuan (inclusive) will automatically qualify for the next edition and may invite one four-person team or one individual to join the next event. Those participants and their invitees will be exempt from fundraising (only required to pay a 100-yuan activity fee each).
This year, the China Youth Development Foundation welcomes more social organizations to form teams to participate, providing a platform to raise funds for their own charitable causes. At the same time, volunteer teams will be recruited from university clubs and non-profit organizations to provide event services at various stations during the activity.
Challenge for love, hike for good causes together—let rural children burst into joyful smiles.
Official Website Registration: http://hiking.cydf.org.cn
Hotline: 010-64790533 / 64790892
China Youth Development Foundation Registration Address: 5th Floor, No. 51 Wangjing West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing
Registration Deadline: June 1, 2014
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