P.E.I. man raising money through tip-to-tip run

Donations to benefit Ronald Mcdonald House in Halifax

A P.E.I. man is lacing up his shoes to run the Island from tip-to-tip in support of Ronald Mcdonald House, beginning May 13.

In a news release, Ronald Mcdonald House Charities Atlantic said Adam Clark plans to run the Island to raise money for the charity in memory his nephew, Austin. Austin died in March 2019 after being rushed to the IWK Health Centre in Halifax.

“My wife and I were living on P.E.I. when we got the call," said Clark. "We hit the road and headed for the hospital in Halifax, where we saw Austin hooked up to what seemed like so many machines. It absolutely destroyed me. There was nothing we could do except pray and hope that Austin would be OK."

During Austin's final days, Clark stayed with his sister's family at the Ronald Mcdonald House in Halifax, where he said his family was offered crucial support.

“The best thing about the house was for our family and friends to be given the time and space we needed to focus on being present and available for each other,” Clark said. “When I heard about the new Ronald Mcdonald house that's being built, I felt that this run would be a great way to honour my nephew while raising money for a great cause.”

Clark's fundraiser has been kickstarted by Mcdonald's restaurants in P.E.I., which donated more than $5,000 towards his $10,000 goal.

He will start at the western tip of the Island and follow the Confederation Trail east. He expects to run 70 km per day and arrive at East Point on May 16.

“I'm looking forward to pushing my limits and seeing what I'm capable of – both on the road, and as a fundraiser," Clark said. "(I'm) looking forward to pushing long past the point of exhaustion.”

The run will be Clark's second time running in support of charitable organizations.