Two young Muskoka locals are lacing up their walking shoes for a good cause.
Twins Ava and Theo Russell are taking on a 24-hour, 80-kilometre walk around Lake of Bays to raise money for the Huntsville Hospital Foundation’s Raise Muskoka campaign.
Aptly named “Walk of Bays,” the fundraiser will begin Aug. 22 at 11 a.m. at the Lake of Bays Sailing Club in Baysville and will finish at the same location around 11 a.m. the following day (Aug. 23).
The Russells launched the initiative last year and received a tremendous amount of community support, raising nearly $44,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada.
“What started as a challenge quickly became something far bigger than we ever imagined,” Theo Russell said.
The idea for the fundraiser was inspired by a long beach walk the twins completed together while in Australia.
“It was a very long walk and no [cell] service, but it was probably the most beautiful walk of our lives,” Ava Russell said. “We thought, ‘How can we emulate this somewhere that’s closer to home?’ We grew up in Lake of Bays, so we thought ‘why not? Let’s give it a shot and walk around the lake.’ But we wanted to do it for a purpose; we wanted to raise money for a good cause.”
Last year, the twins chose to support the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society after seeing the impact the disease had on families in the Lake of Bays Sailing Club community, where they have strong ties and have worked for several summers.
This year, they are turning their attention to Raise Muskoka, the campaign supporting the construction of a new Huntsville hospital, as they say this cause affects the entire Muskoka community.
“This year, we wanted to open it up to the broader community,” Ava Russell said. “I think everyone has probably been to the Huntsville Hospital, so we wanted to show our gratitude towards it, especially now for the new building through the Raise Muskoka campaign. We want to really bring the community together and show our support…we want to do the walk for all of them.”
“This year, we’re trying to expand to everyone,” Theo Russell said. “We know that in the summer, a lot of cottagers come up and there’s a lot more of a strain on the healthcare system due to the higher population. We want to be part of the solution and help everyone that can benefit from the new hospital.”
The twins know firsthand that completing the 80-kilometre route will be both a physical and mental challenge. They said last year’s walk brought struggles associated with heat and exhaustion, but the community support helped turn the difficult journey into a positive and memorable experience.
“It was one of the hardest things we’ve ever done,” Ava Russell said. “We’re both pretty athletic, but you don’t really realize that going for a long walk is actually really straining. Overall, we kept the vibes high, the music going, we had our friends with us, so we made it through.”
“Last year, we had over 25 families help us out, give us water and Gatorade throughout the walk,” Theo Russell said.
The community response grew even larger as the twins approached the finish line, with roughly 100 people joining them for the final five kilometres.
“It was a really special feeling having everyone walk to the finish line together,” Ava said.
The twins are once again inviting the community to take part by walking with them along the route, cheering them on from the sidelines, or visiting them at the designated fundraising stops.
They are scheduled to stop at Pizza on Earth in Dorset at approximately 11 a.m. on Aug. 22 and at Miss Nelle’s Cafe in Baysville at approximately 11 a.m. on Aug. 23. A Huntsville Hospital Foundation tent will be set up at both locations to collect donations.
The fundraising goal for this year’s walk is set at $25,000. As of Aug. 20, the initiative has raised $5725.
To donate, click here.
For live updates along the walk, follow their Instagram page @walkofbays
