After slogging through snow with blistered feet, a Calgary man has made it to Drumheller after setting out on a walking journey called “Walking Back to Saskatoon” from Calgary to Saskatoon to fundraise for charity.
David Nordin, a 59 year old geophysicist from Calgary, just woke up one morning with the idea to walk the 599 highway kilometres to raise funds for the Heart and Stroke Foundation and for a bursary for his former University of Saskatchewan fraternity.
On Wednesday, Nordin will have made the 131 kilometres to Drumheller and was relieved to spend a rest day in the valley after starting his walk from Calgary on May 20.
“Every day is a challenge. I bought a new pair of shoes when I left and I thought I broke them in, but I guess there’s no subsitute for this,” said Nordin.
Nordin and his wife, who is accompanying him with a van and providing company along the way, have so far raised $12,000 for the Heart and Stroke Foundation and about a third of that for his fraternity, the Ore Gangue Alumni.
Both of Nordin’s parents passed away due to heart complications, and he himself has a faulty valve in his heart.
They are averaging about 25 km a day and expect to walk into Saskatoon around June 20.
They are accepting donations via their website www.dnordin.wix.com/walking-back