Emile Richard, John Mathewson, Susan Teeter, Richard Therriault, Scott McLaughlin, Mike Jacklin, Ralph Hawryluk, Terry Coldwell, Faye Rotteau and David Casson of the Wawanosh Seniors are using technology to travel the TCT.
It's taken them about four months and they're still going. Step by step, the members of the Wawanosh Seniors have trekked close to 7,000 kilometres of the Trans Canada Trail, starting in February on Vancouver Island and moving east to Ontario.
The group of about 20 covered all this ground without leaving the premises of Community Living Sarnia-Lambton, a non-profit organization that provides services and activities for people with developmental disabilities.
"They walk in place as part of our exercise program," explains Wanda Brown-Maxfield, a life skills support staff at Community Living Sarnia-Lambton. "While they walk and exercise, we mark their progress on a map of the Trans Canada Trail, which we bring up on a smart board."
Emile Richard, John Mathewson, Susan Teeter, Richard Therriault, Scott McLaughlin, Mike Jacklin, Ralph Hawryluk, Terry Coldwell, Faye Rotteau and David Casson of the Wawanosh Seniors are using technology to travel the TCT. WANDA BROWN-MAXFIELD
The idea for taking virtual walks on the Trans Canada Trail came to Ms. Brown-Maxfield as she was thinking up ways to add some excitement to the exercise program, which her organization offers three times a week to the Wawanosh Seniors. The group's members are a mix of Community Living residents and non-residents.
Every 10 minutes the Wawanosh Seniors walk is equivalent to about 100 kilometres on the Trail, explains Ms. Brown-Maxfield. As they log kilometres, the seniors zoom into their virtual location on the map – which they access online through the Trans Canada Trail website – and talk about what they might experience were they to actually walk on the Trail.
"We're learning more about the Trail and the country we live in," says Ms. Brown-Maxfield. "And for some of the people in the group who have been to areas where the Trail is located, it's a chance to talk about their memories and share their stories."
The group is now thinking of taking their walking program outside – and right onto the Trail.
"We're talking about it," says Ms. Brown-Maxfield. "Watch out for us on the Trail."