For the second consecutive year, Lambton County residents are being encouraged to lace up their running shoes this spring and get active to support a great cause.
Noelle’s Gift is again running its Count Your K’s in May fundraiser.
Participants looking to get fit and stay physically active while supporting a charity focused on improving the lives of local youth are being asked to register online at www.noellesgift.caselect a goal, get sponsored and then bike, walk, run or jog throughout May in order to achieve their goal by the end of the month.
Last year, the fundraiser earned Noelle’s Gift over $60,000 said organizer Cathy Robertson.
This year, with fewer restrictions in place, the charity is hoping to engage even more people, she added.
“It’s the same format as last year,” Robertson said. “The only change is that we’re encouraging teens to sign up unlike last year because of COVID and social distancing…it was such a great success last year and we had so many people participate because it’s a month-long event, that it just made sense that we do it again.
“This year we have some families and work groups who have formed teams, but we’ve also been approached by some schools wanting to participate,” she continued. “Bridgeview School as a whole is participating, St. Peter Canisius in Watford is participating and we have the Northern Viking Hikers – they always take part in Noelle’s Gift Light Up The Night in October – they’ve decided to join. And they’ve been challenged by a team at Alexander Mackenzie High School to see who can log the most k’s and fundraise the most dollars.”
With Cathy Wilde from Fleck Law and Carpenters Local1256 both matching funds for the first $20,000 raised, Robertson said that there is every reason for community members to support the event, even if they’d prefer to do it from the comfort of their own homes.
“Any physical activity counts – gardening, walking on a treadmill – as long as you’re moving you can count your k’s,” she said. “And you can get involved in so many ways -you can participate, you can sponsor a participant or one of the teams…or you can just donate to the event as a whole.”
“And this year we’ve had some really generous local sponsors donate, so we’ll be holding weekly draws and announcing them each Friday,” Robertson added. “These gifts are not only for participants but for sponsors too. And you’ll also be able to win by liking and sharing on social media.”
This year’s Count Your K’s in May campaign got underway on April 29, with a rally at Point Edward’s Bridgeview Public School, which was followed by a memorial walk took place in Point Edward on May 1 in honor of Marg Stewart, a family friend of the Paquette family and organizer of Noelle’s Gift of Fitness fundraisers. Stewart passed away unexpectedly on Jan. 20 at the age of 57, and the walk was a solemn and moving remembrance of Stewart, Robertson said.
Count Your K’s in May will continue throughout the month of May, with a culminating sunset yoga event taking place at the Kiwanis Pavilion in Canatara Park on May 31 beginning at 7 pm and led by Ironworks Health and Wellness’ Lisa Arnold.
For more information, visit www.noellesgift.ca.