On Friday, two friends from Ontario did a great feat for charity: They just completed their 32-day hike on Prince Edward Island’s Island Walk.
Silvia Weismann and Lesley Ciarletti have developed a strong bond by connecting with nature.
“Lesley and I connected because of mental health issues that we both struggled a bit with at the end of our careers,” Weismann said. “We got together, started walking with our dogs, and our walk was kind of our therapy. And through the forest was a church.”
So when Ciarletti first heard about the 700-kilometer road that circles the island during a trip to the province with her husband, it was only natural that she told her about it. friend.
“Friends had told us that we were the only two people crazy enough to do something this big and do it in a very short period of time,” Ciarletti said.
“By the time my husband and I returned to Ontario we had 11 days to organize ourselves, and 12 days later we flew here with this commitment to come to the island and see what it is. ‘acted. “
Weismann and Ciarletti braved the rain, thunder and cold fall of Prince Edward Island to experience first-hand the stunning landscapes of the island and the breathtaking views of the ocean.
“My mother was mortified,” Weismann said.
And while they were there, they also raised money for charity. The couple will donate over $ 2,500 to the Canadian Mental Health Association of PEI.
Arrived as guests, left with family
Before starting their journey, Ciarletti created a spreadsheet with all the information needed to complete the Island Walk in 32 days. But that made the hike no less difficult.
“It was the logistics of moving for 32 days between different checkpoints on foot, no transport available, with limited accommodation possibilities as many places were closed,” she said.
But Ciarletti said they luckily met a lot of friendly islanders who helped them along the way.
“One of the highlights for Silvia and I was absolutely about the friendships we’ve made here,” Ciarletti said. “Every place we’ve stayed in one way or another, when they left us, we kind of came in as guests, we left as family.”
And they also enjoyed the view.
“One of the things I enjoyed was the green fields and they just seemed to go on forever,” Weismann said. “And then the animals. There’s a lot of horses, we’ve seen goats, we’ve seen llamas, we’ve seen a lot of foxes – I’m getting pretty good at spotting the fox.
“We also saw a silver fox, and it was a real treat.”
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