This year, 509 people registered, 480 started and 367 finished the GREAT WALK; a record in all three categories!
First 10 GREAT WALKERS to finish:
| Name | From | Time |
|---|---|---|
| STEVE KING | Penticton, B.C. | 5:10 |
| JODI PALLAN | Vancouver, B.C. | 6:13 |
| BLAIR MILLER | Port Alberni, B.C. | 6:24 |
| MARTIN WHILLANS | Campbell River, B.C | 6:24 |
| JILL GRANT | Comox, B.C. | 6:32 |
| JOHN DOWNING | Mill Bay, B.C. | 6:35 |
| STANA PAZICKA | Gold River, B.C. | 6:36 |
| STEVE FREDERICKSON | Kent, Washington | 6:37 |
| STEVE HANNA | Comox, B.C. | 7:14 |
| WOLFGANG LUEBKE | Port Hardy, B.C. | 7:16 |
According to the information turned in to us so far, this year's GREAT WALKERS solicited pledges on behalf of 57 different charities and other worthwhile causes. These pledges total more than $47,985.00. The biggest winner was "YOU ARE NOT ALONE", a charitable organization based in Courtenay, B.C. that provides support to families with sick children; their pledges topped $4,500.
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS were made to the following WALKERS:
| Award | Name | From | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| WALKER WITH FASTEST TIME | STEVE KING | Penticton | 5:10 |
| FIRST WOMAN FINISHING | JODI PALLAN | Vancouver | 6:13 |
| FIRST FEMALE YOUTH (12) | JESSICA HERRON | Tahsis | 9:28 |
| FIRST MALE YOUTH (16) | JOSHUA NORBJERG | Kyuquot | 7:57 |
| YOUNGEST FEMALE FINISHING (10) | NATALIE SENGER | Campbell River | 13:01 |
| YOUNGEST MALE FINISHING (11) | NATHAN CHALATURNYK | Campbell River | 13:45 |
| OLDEST FEMALE FINISHING (67) | LISA CARLSEN | Victoria | 15:00 |
| OLDEST MALE FINISHING (75) | REV. JIM VEITCH | Nelson | 13:00 |
| LAST WALKER FINISHING | BILL STEMBRIDGE | Tahsis | 16:45 |
Once again this year special trophies were presented to the 3 GREAT WALKERS who had travelled the furthest to participate in the GREAT WALK: Reto Schonbachler from Switzerland, Patrick Maloney from New Zealand and Michael Millstone from Chandler, Arizona.
The GREAT WALK was sanctioned, for the first time this year, by the Canadian Volkssport Federation. The forty- five Volkssport walkers that entered were able to earn credit towards the international IVV Achievement Awards program. The 20th annual GREAT WALK has been scheduled for June 7, 1997 and planning is already underway. For more information about the GREAT WALK, please contact Betty Ganyo at 250-934-6570. For more information about the Volkssport Federation, please call Don Evoy at 250-384-0724.
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