Barb VS 21 KM
GUEST BLOG: Barb, Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon participant
I am “Granny Barb” to hundreds of children.
After 10 years of working for the Ontario Provincial Police as a 911 dispatcher, I retired in 2014 and began knitting hats for newborn babies. Currently, I am working on winter hats that will be sent to a Northern Ontario Aboriginal Reserve next month. So far, I have made over 200 hats!
I am also a proud mom to four grown children and a grandmother to five amazing grandchildren. Two years ago, I moved in with my son and daughter-in-law to help raise my granddaughter. It’s been a blessing to have healthy children and grandchildren, but I know many families are not so fortunate. All children deserve to have a healthy life and, unfortunately, some children have a rougher road than others. I can’t imagine the stress and emotional toll a parent may experience while having a sick child and I thought of one special way to help make a difference.
I turned 60 years old last year and decided that it was time to push myself to do something outside of my comfort zone.
This has been something I’ve always wanted to do and I’m proud to be able to do it in support of SickKids. I’ve been raising funds by simply asking my family to support the children who need it the most and I am incredibly grateful for their donations.
As I walk my way towards the finish line to receive my first medal ever, I’ll be thinking of my family. How my children are blessed with good health. How I followed in my mother’s athletic footsteps, as she was a professional athlete before my time. How I inherited my father’s desire to help others, as he was a WWII vet and Firefighter. Each one of them has motivated me in some way to sign up for this walk and the love and support that I’ve received from them throughout my life is the same love and support I now share with SickKids.
Are you interested in turning your Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon into a fundraiser for SickKids? Check out our fundraising page to learn more. Haven’t signed up yet but are inspired to run and raise funds for SickKids? We have Charity Pin Codes for the Marathon, Half Marathon, 5K and 5K with stroller. You can also contact us to learn more.
