SPORTING great Robert de Castella will run rings around Kingaroy next month to help educate youth and senior Australians about the importance of leading an active and healthy life.

Hundreds of people will attend Dinner with Deek to hear his keynote speech Winning the marathon of life: Exercise and healthy ageing at Orana Lutheran Complex on Friday, November 25. 

Robert de Castella is Australia’s greatest ever marathon runner. He set the world record in 1981, became Australia’s first Track and Field World Champion in 1983, won two Commonwealth Games marathons in 1982 and 1986 and dominated the event worldwide for most of the 1980s. He now has a passion for education and helping others achieve their best.

“I do a lot of work in obesity in primary aged children and work in schools to help high-risk kids and I am looking forward to sharing my stories with the people of Kingaroy,” Rob said.

The dinner will kick off from 6.30pm and feature a banquet meal, lucky door prizes, raffles and live entertainment for 20 tables of 10 guests.

Rob said it is important for Queensland’s youth to lead an active life and keep health at the top of their agendas.

“Sport is extremely important in regional communities because it provides the fabric that holds communities together and instills good values and principles in participants from a young age,” he said.

“It teaches things like fair play, sportsmanship and perseverance.

“There are many health benefits which come from being physically active which can help shape children into the people they will become.”

The sporting great is passionate about children’s health. After retiring from competitive sport he established his own company SmartStart, specialising in children’s health. He now uses his knowledge of running to foster perseverance in the youth sector. 

“The marathon is an interesting event in a lot of ways. It requires you to be competitive with yourself and celebrate your personal achievements and accomplishments rather than focus on your good performance,” he said.

Rob said that’s how he approaches his own life with a strong focus on taking personal responsibility and “sport is a way you can get the best out of yourself.”  

St Johns Lutheran Primary School Principal Helen Folker said Winning the marathon of life: Exercise and healthy ageing would be an important platform to educate some of her 290 students about the benefits of sport.

“Sport is a great opportunity to aid a healthy lifestyle and it’s a great social activity in remote regions; encouraging participants to meet people, be part of a team and those activities bind people together as a community,” she said.

Helen said sport is particularly important in the teenage years.

"It’s a really positive way to keep them engaged so they’re not getting into trouble and become educated about goods things like the benefits of sport,” she said.

Orana Lutheran Complex General Manager Richard Fahy said Robert’s speech would empower the community with tips for maintaining good health and experiencing quality of life.

“The purpose of the evening is to draw upon a broad range of health-related areas to engage the community and bring them together,” he said.

“We want everyone in the community to be involved, especially children, in our market day.”

The fun continues into the next morning from 7am with a bustling community market at Orana on November 26.

A variety of stalls will feature local handmade accessories, food, giftware, clothing, décor and plants.

Richard said entertainment, amusements and special displays will also be onsite.

“This market day of fun-filled activities and stalls showcasing our local produce and bric-a-brac will draw people throughout the South Burnett region together as a community,” he said.

General seating at the dinner cost $38.50 per person (incl. GST) or $352 for a table of 10 (incl. GST). Telephone Richard Fahy at Orana on (07) 4162 6555 to make a booking.