Practice walk for “750 For Peace” ends in Amherstburg

Teajai Travis concluded his practice walk for the “750 For Peace” walk May 17 in Amherstburg. He is preparing to walk from Ottawa to Windsor starting July 1 in the main “750 For Peace” event.

Teajai Travis is on a mission to unite people, promote peace and help others.

He is walking long distances to prove that point.

Travis will be one of the walkers that will be participating in the “750 For Peace” walk, one that starts July 1 on Parliament Hill in Ottawa and ends 32 days later at Jackson Park in Windsor.

“The goal is to spread peace and unity,” said Travis.

The walk is also a fundraiser with the Windsor resident raising funds for the Windsor Youth Centre and the Sandwich Teen Action Group. 

To prepare for the event, he has been undertaking a series of practice walks with the most recent of which was a roughly 32km walk from Windsor to Amherstburg last Sunday. Travis started his walk from the area near Kildare Ave. and Ypres Ave. in Windsor around 8:45 a.m. May 17 and arrived at the gazebo in King’s Navy Yard Park in Amherstburg just after 3 p.m., about 45 minutes sooner than expected.

A previous practice walk went from Windsor to Belle River, a 28km trek.

“These are practice walks to see how my feet, joints and hips hold up,” said Travis. “So far, so good.”

Travis added he was glad to have some heat last Sunday, as it helped acclimate himself to the main walk that will primarily take place in July.

The local practice walks represent the longer stretches of the main “750 For Peace” walk, with about 30km being the maximum that month. 

Some days are about 10km walks.

“Those are the slower days,” he said.

Fundraising is going well, Travis added, with his goal being $5,500. So far, his “750 or Peace and Unity: Ottawa to Windsor with Love” GoFundMe page has raised in the neighbourhood of $5,100. An open mic night at Emmanuel United Church in Windsor was held Saturday night to help the cause, he added.

People he has met on his practice walks have been supportive, noting he had friends meet him Sunday along the way, met up with Councillor Don McArthur and got greetings via e-mail from other council members and community members he reached out to. Schools were among the others Travis said he contacted. He also received support and beverages from local businesses to help him stay cool and get to his final destination.

While in Amherstburg Sunday, Travis concluded the walk by meeting with friends and family and having dinner in town before being driven home.

“We still have to go grocery shopping,” he joked.

In addition to the GoFundMe page, Travis added there are “750 For Peace” Facebook and Instagram pages that he set up where people can donate and follow how he is doing.

“Next year, we’ll do it again in a different province,” he added, as the walks will go to different provinces in Canada every year to raise funds for causes important to those parts of the country.

“Our mission is rooted in kindness and compassion,” he said, adding they want to pass the legacy of peace and unity to future generations.

Practice walk for “750 For Peace” ends in Amherstburg

By Ron Giofu