June Robinson Memorial Hike for Huron Hospice is May 28

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VARNA – The annual fundraising Hike for Hospice will feature activities for the whole family.

The Sunday, May 28, hike will take place from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on the trails at Stanley Community Centre in Varna.

Huron Hospice will also be recognizing past hiking leader June Robinson at the annual event. According to June’s granddaughter, Heather, one of the hike organizers, “Grams recruited her family to raise money for the hospice and hike with her.”

“The hike was more about bringing family and friends together. While it was not so much about being the top fundraiser, I think she secretly got a kick out of being in the lead. Since the beginning of the idea of a residential hospice in Huron County in 2017, June never missed a hike – pretty impressive for a 95-year-old,” she said.

The family-friendly event starts with a light warm-up. Children can complete a woodland scavenger hunt on the trails while local gyms will offer fun fitness challenges for the whole family.

After all that exercise, everyone is welcome for a barbecue. There will be hamburgers and black bean burgers on the grill, healthy fruit kabobs and protein snacks. All will be available by free-will offering.

“While the hike is about bringing family and friends together, it is an important fundraising event,” said hiker and executive director Willy Van Klooster. “The money raised pays for end-of-life care for families. Hikers help pay for essential services like nursing, home hospice, and loss and grief support for children, youth and adults.”

Manager of fund development Christopher Walker thanked local businesses for helping with the hike.

“People can form teams with family or friends to hike and obtain pledges to support the hospice,” he said. “Children could ask parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles to pledge their support by email, mail or phone. Teams can have fun challenging each other. There will be prizes for the team and the individual who raises the most money.”

The walk will be held in person this year but, if people are still hesitant, they can hike where they like, in person or remotely.

To register for the hike, go to the Huron Hospice website, www.huronhospice.ca/the-june-robinson-hike-for-huron-hospice. Follow the link to pledge or create a team. Pledge sheets can also be printed from the Huron Hospice website to bring along on the hike day.

Huron Hospice staff will be on hand to answer questions people might have about what a day in the life of the hospice is really like. The Stanley Community Centre is located at 38572 Mill Rd. in Varna.