Beachburg’s own “Papa” is lacing up his shoes for one more long walk in support of our local children’s hospital.
Russell Mackay says he has one last big charity walk in him and will take up a 50 kilometre trip through the Pontiac region where he grew up starting on Sunday, August 27th, raising donations for the CHEO Foundation’s 1 Door 4 Care campaign.
The retired farmer has been trekking for charity over the past few years, including a 125 kilometre walk from Beachburg to Ottawa that raised $120,000 for CHEO back in 2020 and more than $25,000 for Toronto’s SickKids Hospital with a walk from Guelph to Toronto.
The blind and diabetic 85-year-old has had a special connection to CHEO after he saw an eye specialist at the hospital twenty years ago. He explains that “seeing the sick children and their families always touched my heart, so I vowed to do something to help and get our family and communities on side to join in too.”
Mackay’s trip will kick off in Fort Colonge and make its way through Quyon, Campbell’s Bay, Otter Lake, Ladysmith, and his childhood home of Charteris before arriving in Shawville on Thursday, August 31st.
His goal this year is another $30,000 to bring his total raised for CHEO up to $150,000, with the money helping to build more rooms and capacity at the hospital.
You can help the cause right now by donating through the CHEO Foundation’s website, or by sending a cheque to “Papa Walks” CHEO Foundation 415 Smyth Road, Ottawa Ontario K1H 8M8
(written by Kasey Egan)
