Hiking Five Years Ago, Up Hoverla

On Saturday, June 9 2007, Help Us Help the Children (HUHTC) will hold the Fifth Annual Walk for Shoes fundraiser.  Over the past four years, more than $85,000 has been raised to support HUHTC’s efforts, in particular, providing quality footwear to children living in orphanages in Ukraine.

Walk for Shoes came as an idea to a Canadian volunteer during Summer Camp 2002.  While climbing Ukraine’s highest peak, Hoverla, in the Carpathian Mountains, she noticed that many children were hiking in sandals or in old, worn-out shoes.  These images inspired the members of the first Walk for Shoes committee.

The event has grown dramatically since the first Walk for Shoes in 2003.  The number of walkers has almost tripled from its original size of 150.  Walkers from previous years await the annual event and mark the second Saturday in June on their calendars as Walk Day. 

The event begins with the famous Kozak warm-up, followed by the 5 km. and 10 km. walk and finishes with a BBQ lunch and a prize ceremony.  Throughout the day, walkers read posters with facts and stories about HUHTC and about the lives of children living in orphanages in Ukraine.

To offer your time and support and for more information, please contact Ivanka Slywynska at 416-762-6238 or e-mail: ivasly@yahoo.ca