There are many, many challenges we all face throughout life. It’s important to note though, we all have the ability to make someone’s day a little easier, a little brighter – and leave a positive impact – simply through our actions. At Cisco, this is something we are empowered to exemplify as much as possible.
This year, I participated in China’s Egg Walkathon. The Egg Walkathon is a traditional fundraising event organized by the Shanghai United Foundation every year where volunteers walk 50 Km (30 miles) within 12 hours. The original concept of this fundraiser was to provide an egg a day for underprivileged children in rural China, but today the goal has grown and the efforts now support all kinds of services to children – even education.
As a volunteer for the Cisco Egg Walkathon team this year, I was moved to join my fellow Cisco co-workers and walk the 50km to honor and serve those in need throughout this journey.
Along the way, I am lucky to have experienced so many touching moments that inspired me to keep going no matter what, here are just three of those moments:
- The Cisco Speed: 50km is absolutely a challenge for every single human body, especially on such a hot day – 31* Celsius (88*F). But our members who are in the CRDC (China Research and Development Center) Running Club ran the entire way, and reached the finish line between five and six hours!
This fantastic record is consistent with professional runners. As I look back on the day, I remember this amazing achievement for all of our runners, and the hard work they not only put into their daily goals at the office, but also the time and effort spent on reaching this level of athleticism.
The Cisco Determination: Our CRDC site leader Nan Chang and most of our team members walked the entire way. Which takes a good deal of determination as this took us seven to eight hours! By encouraging and supporting each other, we got through this challenge together. Some of our teammates were bearing bad foot aches and pains after walking such a long distance, but they wouldn’t seek medical support until their feet touched the finish line.
I was truly empowered watching them persevere. Especially Engineer Du Peng who spent almost 12 hours completing the challenge with wounded legs! Accompanied with her wife, they educated me on what Cisco’s Spirit is truly all about. When I asked them if it was worth the pain they endured, they said, “Of course! It’s all for the kids who are looking forward to a meal!”
- Be You, With Us – We Are Cisco: Last but not least, I must mention the amazing team work we experienced during this day while giving back. The Egg Walkathon is not just a charity activity, but it is also a big celebration within the community. Best of all, every Cisco employee was able to show that in our own unique ways, and in our own times – when we come together, we can achieve great things!
Nothing can stop our path to success, especially when we are all working together.
Will I be back to walk another 50km next year? I’m already counting down the days to the 2018 Egg Walkathon! 😀
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