A Peterborough realtor recently donated more than $17,000 as part of a fundraising trek through the Sahara Desert in support of victims of abuse.
In November, Linz Hunt and about 120 other real estate agents participated in the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation Sahara Desert Challenge for Shelter. The event saw participants fly to Morocco to trek 100 kilometres across the Sahara Desert. To be eligible, agents had to raise a minimum of $5,000.
Hunt said her trek took five days, up to seven hours a day, without the comforts of home.
Her efforts raised more than $22,000, of which $17,820 was presented last week to the YWCA Peterborough Haliburton’s Crossroads Shelter in Peterborough, which supports women and children fleeing abuse (physical, emotional, sexual or financial).
“As a realtor, my job is to sell people homes and I can’t imagine associating a home with fear and danger,” said Linz. “I chose to contribute more intentionally to the YWCA by taking part in the Sahara trek because of the people I know and love who have experienced gender-based violence.”
Linz said during the trek, agents read letters from women and children who had escaped their abuser(s) and were thanking shelters for the support.
“These letters were heartbreaking but they reaffirmed that our journey was nothing in comparison to what these families have gone through,” said Linz. “I truly had the experience of a lifetime supporting such an important cause.”
The entire fundraiser raised more than $1.13 million, topping the $1-million goal.
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