Despite some threatening storm clouds late Sunday afternoon, the Cause for a Walk fundraiser went ahead perfectly this weekend.
"It went off without a hitch," said head organizer Diane Therrien. "No problems, no injuries."
For three days, 135 women were on the road between Moose Jaw and Buffalo Pound Provincial Park. After walking 33 kilometres to the park Friday, the group camped out for the night. Saturday saw it walk 29 km and return to the campground before making the 33 km trek back to the city on Sunday.
The event was organized to raise $100,000 for a special bed in the women's ward of the Moose Jaw Union Hospital.
The women certainly had a bit of good luck weather-wise.
"It is awesome," said walker Heather Eby on Saturday. "We prayed for good weather, and we got good weather. The wind is perfect."
Eby and her walking partner Lori Gaucher, both of Moose Jaw, said they are in good shape, but the event was still trying for them.
"We're regular walkers, but this was a lot more commitment," said Eby. "We were pretty diligent about our training."
"It's a big commitment, but it's well worth it," said Gaucher. "It's for a good cause. I'm happy I did it."
Eby echoed that sentiment.
"We're much happier to be participants than observers," she laughed.
Therrien noted that even with such a large group, everything ran on time.
"I think the secret to an event with ladies is don't allow them to bring blow driers, don't allow them to bring make up, no change of outfits, and you'll always run on time," she quipped. But she added that everyone should be proud of their accomplishment.
"These ladies pushed through blisters, pushed through knee injuries, ankles, duct tape, everything."
Uh, what was that about duct tape?
"We followed Red Green's instruction: on their feet, on their knees, on their ankles," explained Therrien. "Wherever you had an owie, you put some duct tape."
The event - which took three years to plan and several months of training - is a first for the province, as far as Therrien knows.
"I don't think it's ever been done in Saskatchewan," she said. "If we do it again it will be in 2011, because there's so much organizing that we can't pull it off in one year."
The walk was put together by Therrien and a group of six other women, working independent of any organization.
"We had a lot of great organizers and a lot of great sponsors," said Therrien. "They know who they are and we thank them so much."
Taylor Lambert can be reached at 691-1260.
A cause for a walk
Times Herald staff Robbyn Mintenko-Cresta & Wanda Hallborg report on why they chose to participate in this years 'Cause For A Walk' fundraiser.
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Comments
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- That
- - September 18, 2009 at 16:40:11
Two thumbs up!! (and one more item to add to my list of uses for duct tape)
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- Amber
- - September 18, 2009 at 16:28:30
It was an amazing weekend and I do have to say if it happens again in 2011 I will forsure do it again hopefully with less blisters and no pulled muscles. Thank you so much for the support of the community and everyone who helped sponser each and everyone of us
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- Chump
- - September 18, 2009 at 16:23:16
Take your significant others with you next time.
Eat less, walk more. -
- hey
- - September 18, 2009 at 16:20:46
Congrats to all that participated... hope you all had fun!!!!
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- Delee
- - September 18, 2009 at 16:08:48
Well done ladies, very well done. I will be one of those people who sends money late and have forwarded this to former Moose Jaw family as they would also like to donate. A friend of mine was involved in this and I couldn't be prouder.
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- Darlene
- - September 18, 2009 at 15:39:29
To Diane and all of the girls who helped put this on- job well done. I hope everyone had fun and congratulations on your 60 mile walk.
