What started as a far-fetched idea ended in a $20,000 donation to charity when Uranquinty’s Toby Hill walked off his local tennis court on Saturday night.
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Hill, 32, had just called time on a 24-hour non-stop tennis marathon raising money for type one diabetes research and, two days on, is still reeling from the support and generosity of those who turned out to further his cause.
“I’m a still a little bit sore but it was just terrific in the end,” Hill said.
“We ended up with a few hundred people coming down and I had opponents for the full 24 hours.”
A farmhand by day, Hill said he was pushed during the marathon effort but stayed true to his earlier promise of “bathroom breaks only”.
“We counted it up and I was only off the court and not playing for a minute and a half, that’s it.”
“I changed ends a few times and shoes once but aside from that it was pretty much non-stop – I’m already straight back into it at work.”
In the end, the donations committed to Hill’s charity of choice – the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation – more than made up for the physical toll.
“We actually got over our $20,000 target, not by much, but we made it,” Hill said.
“It’s a pretty great feeling and (type one diabetes) is something close to me and my family, so I’m really happy.”
Hill will be keeping the event page open for people to support his efforts and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
“There’s still time and we won’t be closing it so we’re hoping for more donations.
“We’ve still got some more money coming in and hopefully we can get that $20,000 mark even higher.”
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