31 | Thursday, February 1 6, 2 0 1 7 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com Grandmas walk the walk for counterparts inAfrica by Abigail Cukier Special to the Beaver Some local grandmothers will be paying close attention to their pedometers and Fitbits over the coming months. And it will be about more than just keeping fit. Oomama and Bronte Grandmothers for Africa have teamed up for the ffalton-Peel Virtual Stride Walk to raise money to support the Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign, which helps fund the Stephen Lewis Foundation' s work with community organizations in Africa. It provides grandmothers, and the children in their care, with counselling, nutrition, shelter, school supplies and income-generation activities. An alternative to the traditional walking fundraiser, the Virtual Stride Walk encourages participants to register and keep a log of the distance they walk each day until June 4 and collect pledges from family and friends. Oomama and Bronte Grandmothers for Africa work year-round to raise awareness, generate funds and advocate on behalf of grandmothers in Africa raising grandchildren who have lost their parents to AIDS. The local grandmothers' groups will virtually walk 10,254 kilometres - equal to the distance from Botswana to Ethiopia --- and community members are invited to join them. Participants can register for $25, pick up a map and a log book and walk along with the Omama and the Bronte Grandmothers for Africa kick off the Halton/Peel Virtual Stride Walk as a part of the 8th an nual Stride to Turn the Tide - a national walk organized by Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign groups across Canada. Pictured is Stephen Lewis Foundation Grandmothers Campaign Officer Asmita Persaud, left, along with Wendy Merson, Sandy Milakovic, Wendy Belcher, Soraya Rench and Leslie Kulokas. | Nikki Wesley/Metroland grandmothers groups. They are welcome to collect pledges, though that is not mandatory Participants can also convert minutes of other activities such as cycling or swimming to count as steps. "Last year, our goal was 10,254 kms and we walked more than 24,000 and raised more than $18,000," said Sandy Milakovic, member of Oomama and co-chair of the Virtual Stride Walk The grandmothers are aiming for 10,254 kms again this year, with "stops" in cities where Stephen Lewis Foundation projects are running. As they pass these cities, guest speakers at their regular meetings will talk about those projects, as well as the geography of Sub-Saharan Africa. The Stephen Lewis Foundation' s Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign was launched in 2006 and has grown to include more than 240 grandmothers groups across Canada, as well as Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States. "Over that time, the foundation and grandmothers have developed support groups, health care, food programs and education for grandmothers in Africa," said Milakovic. "We are also helping them build resilience. With the foundation and grandmothers' support, they are able to achieve on their own. "But over the 10 years, some of those children have become teens and that presents a whole new set of challenges. Support continues to be very important. People think AIDS is not as much of an issue any more but in Sub-Saharan Africa it is, which is why this is so important." Milakovic has five grandchildren and marvels at how much energy it takes to care for two at a time during a sleepover. "I am exhausted. And they have none of the conveniences I have and are raising 10, 12, 14 grandchildren all by themselves. I walk in support of those grandmothers in Africa, who have to walk to do everything - to get food, health care or taking their grandchildren to school. To take a few steps a day is no great hardship." For information, to register to walk or to support a walker, email Sandy Milakovic at sjmtoller@hotmail.com or walk co-chair Wendy Merson at nursewjm@gmail.com. P IC -A -D E L I (^W eekly S pecials: Thursday Nights: Domestic Pint & 1 lb of Wings $ 9 99 Daily special: Large 3 item Pizza- * 9 " Dine In & Pick up only Featuring Best Montreal Smoked Sandwiches All Day Breakfast. Hours: Monday - Saturday 7 am -1 am Closed Sundays. 6 7 0 F o u rth Lin e ( 9 0 5 ) 3 3 9 -1 9 0 5 NOMINATE SOMEONE TODAY! C a n a d a is a co u n try o f im m igrants. C e le b ra te C a n a d a 's 1 5 0 th ye a r by n o m in a tin g an in sp irin g im m ig ra n t, w h o has m a d e a po sitive im p a c t in C a n a d a , fo r this coveted n a tio n a l a w a rd ! N e w ly includ ed this ye a r is o u r youth a w a rd to re co g n ize o u r outstanding Young im m igrants! 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