{"id":31774,"date":"2022-08-18T19:55:07","date_gmt":"2022-08-18T23:55:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/?p=31774"},"modified":"2022-08-25T13:46:16","modified_gmt":"2022-08-25T17:46:16","slug":"couples-trek-from-lake-ontario-to-barrie-raises-more-than-12000-for-food-pantry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/couples-trek-from-lake-ontario-to-barrie-raises-more-than-12000-for-food-pantry\/","title":{"rendered":"Couple\u2019s trek from Lake Ontario to Barrie raises more than $12,000 for Food Pantry"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When Aurora couple George and Erlinda Biondic set out on foot from Lake Ontario to Barrie this past Saturday, they hoped to raise awareness and funds for the Aurora Food Pantry \u2013 but the success of their mission took even them by surprise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following the completion of their trek on Sunday afternoon, George, 70, and Erlinda, 82, had raised a whopping $12,000 for the local food bank \u2013 and the money is still rolling in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The couple started their journey from the waterfront on August 13, proceeding up Yonge Street to Aurora to spend the night at home before setting out the next morning, again on Yonge Street, with the final destination set for Barrie City Hall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the couple, each of whom hold several national and international running records in their age brackets, it was a special way to celebrate George\u2019s 70th<\/sup> birthday and help give back to the community they call home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The results, however, were beyond their wildest expectations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re absolutely thrilled we were able to raise quite a bit of money for the Food Pantry,\u201d George told The Auroran on Monday afternoon after a good night\u2019s sleep knowing the mission had been completed. \u201cBy today we had raised about $11,000 which is really way more than we anticipated.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This figure had swelled by press time this week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As they set out, Erlinda helped propel them forward as George, by his own admission, was feeling a bit out of shape and trying to \u201cget back to the swing of things.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cErlinda was really a tower of strength and got us through to the end of Aurora,\u201d said George. \u201cYesterday, the roles were reversed. I guess I got my second wind and Erlinda was struggling. Going from Bradford to Barrie as a pedestrian is not exactly pedestrian-friendly in the sense that it\u2019s a lot of shoulder, almost no asphalt to walk on, so on gravel shoulders and going uphill, it was really tough.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Adds Erlinda: \u201cEven the stones were getting into my shoes. Had I known, I would have worn gaiters \u2013 and the traffic? My gosh, the cars were just whipping by.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe didn\u2019t know these hills when we drove up and scoped it out, but on foot it\u2019s a totally disparate terrain,” George interjects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By the time they reached Barrie\u2019s city limits after traversing all the hills along the way, the couple briefly considered a short cut to City Hall but keeping in mind their promise to travel Yonge Street the entire route, they stuck to their guns and completed the mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnything worthwhile in life you have to struggle for and, by the end of it, we really felt alive and felt that we had added value to Aurora,\u201d said George.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Adds Erlinda, recalling some of the well-wishes they received along the way, \u201cWe had signs on our backpacks supporting the Food Pantry and some people we met on the street gave us money. They didn\u2019t know us, these were strangers and they\u2019re not even from Aurora.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For George, it gave him \u201cfaith in humanity that there are kind people everywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt certainly made us feel good and we think others should feel the same way.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now that their mission is accomplished, the Biondics could be forgiven for resting on their laurels, but this is certainly not the case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Erlinda, this past weekend\u2019s walk was something of a warm-up for another running competition at the end of this month in Manchester, Tennessee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As she gets into the zone for that, she encourages other people in their respective communities to get up on their feet and make a difference for their local food banks or the causes close to their hearts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPeople can do the same things in their community,\u201d she said. \u201cYou can walk, bike, climb the CN Tower \u2013 whatever. You can even swim 100 laps.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Added George: \u201cWe\u2019re contributing to Aurora, but everyone has their own town or their own city [to support]. We encourage others across Ontario and Canada to do the same thing, to be of value beyond the age of 65 \u2013 a great value to their communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe hope this will continue in the sense that we have raised awareness for this need the Food Pantry is providing. It really is an important service for those less fortunate. At the same time, people were getting all kinds of emails saying how they are inspired and hopefully people of all ages are inspired to be more active in not necessarily walking but active in whatever is their passion. They should find something they feel really strong and just pursue that. Those are two things that we\u2019re pleased to have an influence.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To continue to pledge funds towards the Biondics\u2019 efforts, visit aurorafoodpantry.ca, click DONATE, and select George Biondic\u2019s 70th<\/sup> Birthday Walk from the dropdown menu under \u201cFUND.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Brock Weir
Editor
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter<\/strong><\/p>\n\"Facebook\"<\/a>\"twitter\"<\/a>\"mail\"<\/a>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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