Spencer West’s mission slowed only by cheers
PM’S wife joins Edmonton to Calgary convoy
With horns honking and people cheering, a convoy is inching its way along Alberta highways from Edmonton to Calgary.
Eight days into a fundraising campaign for Free the Children, Spencer West is moving slowly. But it’s not because he’s making the journey in a wheelchair. It’s because people keep stopping to cheer him on or donate money, whether $3.25 in change or $200 in bills.
“There was this cute little kid we passed. We went a ways and then we heard from behind ‘Wait, stop.’ And there he was, riding down the road waving five dollars in his hand,” said West.
“It was classic, like you’d see in the movies,” added Dave Johnson, one of two friends on the walk with West.
One of the most famous passersby to stop was the Prime Minister’s wife. Laureen Harper joined the convoy May 9 on Hwy 815 east of Lacombe for 15 minutes of conversation and walk- ing with West.
“We found out just before that she was coming. It was pretty cool,” said West, who first met Harper at a We Day event.
The double amputee who trekked up Mount Kilimanjaro last year, raising more than $500,000 for Free The Children, is on an 11-day campaign to fund clean water projects around the world. He is joined by Johnson and Alex Meers, who also went on t he Africa trip.
“It’s different but it’s as hard. It takes a toll on the body,” said Johnson. “It puts in perspective what Rick Hansen and Terry Fox did.”
The men trained hard in Toronto for this campaign and West is wearing gloves to reduce the wear on his hands from propelling his wheelchair 30 to 32 kilometres each day. But as they enter the final days, the trio are tired.
West’s wrists, arms and shoulders are hurting, Johnson is limping and Meers feels every step in his shins.
“I’m at the point now where,
It was a moment in
our lives we’ll never forget
DAVE JOHNSON
the first few days I’d wake up and feel OK. But today was the first day where everything still hurts,” said West. There are some advantages over Africa though — a steak dinner and a comfortable bed every night. The men have also discovered Alberta’s red-eye — beer mixed with Clamato juice.
Thy’ve also had some interesting encounters with animals. “The horses love us and the cows run away,” said Johnson, just prior to passing a dead skunk on the road.
“When we were walking with Nelly (Furtado, on the first day), a three-legged dog came up. She said, ‘Spencer, I think this is your spirit guide.”
What really stands out for the men though, has been the personal interaction with the public.
“For me, it’s the unexpected moments, like in Hobbema. It was absolutely overwhelming,” said Johnson. “We couldn’t walk five yards without someone honking or running out. They had a ceremony for us. ... It was a moment in our lives we’ll never forget.”
Meers said their mission to bring clean water to 100,000 people for life resonated with the First Nations people.
“Water is so important in their culture so they under- stood the cause. I felt they really got it.”
As much fun as they’ve had meeting people, the three men are also relishing the time alone. “Doing this again is like being on the mountain. It brings back what we shared what was really special,” said Johnson.
“To be able to talk like we did (there) is so cool.”
Those must have been some talks since the conversation on the road that morning was about a zombie apocalypse.
“We were deciding who we’d want on our team,” joked West.
The We Walk 4Water campaign, which has more than 100 schools participating in the mission to provide clean water to 100,000 people, hits Olds today followed by Didsbury, Carstairs, Crossfield and Airdrie before wrapping up at a southeast school in Calgary May 16.
They will be joined by actor, author and former U.S. army soldier J.R. Martinez; reality TV show Survivor winner and now philanthropist Ethan Zohn; and two Kenyan women providing for their family through Free The Children’s alternative income program.
To donate, go to freethechildren.com/wewalk4water