Dariene Ordoff, armed with pledges from many friends, raised $500 for the Powell River Horseshoe Club's building fund during the event. The Horseshoe Club is embarking on an improvement program at its pits at the recreation complex, hoping to install lights and roofs.

Altogether, 15 Powell River walkers completed the arduous 40-mile (63-kilometre) Great Walk from Gold River to Tahsis.

Considered North America's toughest pledge walk, it is sponsored by the Tahsis lions Club. This is the walk's 23rd year. There were 921 entries with 744 walkers completing the route. The fastest time was 4 hours, 55 minutes; the longest was 17 hours, 53 minutes.

According to early information, this year's walkers solicited pledges on behalf of 100 different charities and other worthwhile causes. These pledges total more than $133,330. The biggest winner of the day was the Cancer Society with pledges totalling $13,655.52.

The walk is not easy--a gravel road with many hills and valleys to negotiate. Organisers provide many services at the 12 checkpoints along the way, including food, drink, and first aid. As well, an ambulance patrols all day and road monitors with mobile radios ensure that a high degree of safety is maintained.

One Powell River walker, Doug Lanigan was fourth to finish, while Marlene Paemoller was the second woman to cross the line (10th overall). Other walkers from Powell River were Elaine Leach, Mike Leahy, Dorothy Carson, Irene Phillip, Homi Bavaadam, Lucy Stroomer, Sheila Dyck, Tommy Lepitre, Sylvia Sheldon, Margie Vemerr, Larry Berger, and Tony Mathews.

Walkers came from far and wide to tackle the walk-from many towns on Vancouver Island and throughout BC-as well as from Alberta, Ontario, Washington State, Oregon, Wisconsin, Texas, and Florida.

Background information and times of all the walkers is available on the net at www.greatwalk.com.