Walk for Wenjack

Walk For Wenjack honours Chanie Wenjack and the thousands like him who never made it home.

The first Walk for Wenjack took place in 2016 and retraced the steps of Chanie Wenjack. It started at the Cecillia Jeffrey Indian Residential School in Kenora, ON, and continued to Redditt, ON for a ceremony representing Chanie's final resting spot near Farlane, ON.  Since then, people across the country have hosted their own walk to educate and raise awareness of the true history and impact of Residential Schools.

Everybody has their own reason to Walk for Wenjack. For some, it may be a moment to honour Chanie and the many others like him. For others, it may be an opportunity to raise awareness of the true history of Residential Schools. Each Walk for Wenjack is unique.

This year, the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund is challenging all Canadians to "Do Something", as Gord would say, and participate in their own Walk for Wenjack. 

We encourage you to walk for Chanie Wenjack and his family on October 22, the day Chanie succumbed to the elements as he was trying to get home. Walks can also be organized on other dates during Secret Path Week (Oct. 17-22).

"I swore that I would do something the day he died. I would not have my brother's death swept under a rug. If Chanie's life can save other children then I've done my work." - Pearl (Wenjack) Achneepineskum

Our goal for 2020 is to raise $60,000 - $100 for each of the 600kms Chanie had to walk to get home.

GET STARTED

Who:  Anyone! You can participate as an individual or a team.

What:  Plan your walk to suit your needs. Set your own distance goal, route, and timeline.

Where: Wherever you are! Your neighbourhood, backyard, a park, or make it a virtual walk – pick the place that works best for you.

When: From a one-day event to a week-long venture, pick any date or time span that works for you.

Team fundraising: Click the blue 'Create a Team' button to start a new team. To find and join a team, search the 'Teams' listing near the top of this page. 

Individual fundraising: Click the blue 'Join as an Individual' button at the top of this page to customize your own page. 

Spread the word and share your page with your friends and family!

Do you want to share about why you Walk for Wenjack? Questions? Email our team at fundraising@downiewenjack.ca