An Okanagan man is walking from Kelowna to Kamloops in hopes of raising money and support for the Indian Residential School Survivors Society and the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation.
Rob Mercer says his walk will take him through Salmon Arm to the former residential school in Kamloops – a distance almost exactly 215 kilometres in length.
“I’m hoping to complete the walk in four days and arrive sometime on Monday, June 14,” Mercer said on a Facebook page.
“I’m doing this to honour the memory of the 215 children buried there.”
According to the page, his walk began Friday morning at 8 a.m., and 12 hours later, he arrived at the Okanagan College campus on the outskirts of Vernon.
“This is also a personal journey for me, as I had family members that attended residential schools,” said Mercer. “Like many, my heart is grieving. I have no words. Please grieve and walk with me.”
Mercer is updating his journey on Facebook.
As of Saturday, Mercer had raised $3,940. He was hoping to make it to Enderby by Saturday’s end.
To support the Indian Residential School Survivors Society, click here.
To support the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation, click here.
The Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation says donations will be used towards work that is needed for further investigations and to later memorialize the children.