IF you see a giant fluffy giraffe called Harold on the school run, don’t worry someone hasn’t popped an acid in your corn flakes.

He’s “Healthy Harold” from Life Ed WA, a not-for-profit that holds sessions in schools to empower kids and help them make better life choices.

His trusty sidekick is senior educator Gina Natale, a qualified health and PE teacher from Melville.

“We cover topics such as respectful relationships, cyber safety, alcohol and drugs including vaping, nutrition and safety,” Natale says.

“Along with Healthy Harold the giraffe I teach students lessons for life in a fun, engaging and age appropriate way. 

“I have had the opportunity to teach in the Goldfields region and all throughout metropolitan WA.”

• Gina Natale is doing HBF Run for a Reason to raise funds for Life Ed WA.

During the last few months you might have seen Natale pounding the streets of Palmyra or doing gruelling laps of Len Shearer Reserve. She’s been training hard for the 12km course in Sunday’s HBF Run for a Reason (May 19), raising funds for Life Ed WA.

She says the not-for-profit makes a big difference to kids’ lives.

“Over the last eight years there have been many memorable moments within the sessions,” Natale says.

“Everyday is filled with laughs and smiling faces from students as they leave. If students come up to me and say they loved the session and they had fun, then I know I have done my job.

“I especially enjoy being able to engage with students with a disability or English as second language students, and seeing their faces light up when Harold comes out. It is a truly amazing feeling and gives me so much joy.”

Life Ed was founded in 1979 by the late reverend Ted Noffs, who saw how health and social issues were impacting kids’ lives through his work at Wayside Chapel in Sydney.

Instead of using scare tactics, he came up with a program that empowered and motivated children to make the right decisions. After a successful launch in Sydney’s King Cross, a mobile classroom was built and the program travelled to schools across New South Wales.

Fast forward to 2024 and Life Ed now hold sessions with more than 700,000 children across Australia every year.

“A particular moment sticks in my mind when I was working with students from a regional school and at the end they came up to me and said that it was the best incursion they had experienced and wanted me to come back for a visit again soon,” Natale says.

So apart from enjoying a non-alcoholic, gluten-free beer with Healthy Harold after her 12km run, what else does Natale have planned?

“I will be looking forward to a relaxing bath, followed by pizza for dinner!” she says.

If you want to donate to Natale’s run, go to runforareason24.grassrootz.com/life-education-wa.