Ingersoll man to hike entire Bruce Trail to help kids afford Scout costs

David Wright came to love hiking at the age of 12 when his scouting leader took him and hisgroup for a day hike along the Bruce Trail. Now 39, Wright is walking the same path, but with a goal of helping others get there as well.

The Ingersoll scouting leader has combined his longtime personal goal of walking the entire Bruce Trail with a plan to help make scouting more affordable for kids in need.

In 32 days Wright hopes to have walkedthe entire 890 kilometre stretch of the trail.

He set off on Sunday from the trail's starting point inQueenstonHeights Park in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

It's a walk he hopes will raise a little money for the No One Left Behind program. The program aims to help ensure that any young people who wantto participate in Scouts Canada can do so regardless of their family's financial circumstances.

For the 2016-2017 scouting year, Scouts Canada provided more than $500,000 in funding for the program, helping nearly 4,000 kids.

Physically and mentally I kind of think of my entire scouting life as being preparation to this- David Wright

Giving back

Wright says four kids in his small town of Ingersoll, Ont. have already benefited from the program.

He's been volunteering asa scouting leader for the past six years and his two children are involved as well.

"Working for the No One Left Behind Fund is just kind of my way of making sure that other kids get the opportunity to have that same experience, something they might not have known they would have loved," said Wright.

CBC spoke to Wright over the phone, a couple of hours into his first day on the trail. He was about to cross the QEW.

Wright's plan and preparation

In preparing for the trek, Wright visited the gym on a daily basis, but says it involved more than that.

"Physically and mentally I kind of think of my entire scouting life as being preparation to this."

Due to the fact that Wright will be going it alone, he's on a strict itinerary, making certain checkpoints.

He'll be travelling about20-30kilometres per day.

I'm actually enjoying the fact that there is nothing to occupy my mind- David Wright

Wright will be met along the way by friends and family. He's encouragingscouts from across the province to join him, to either meet or to walk along with him for a part of the way.

And, he'll be blogging every night.

When asked if he was going to listen to anything as a means of entertainment, he was quick to respond.

"I'm actually enjoying the fact that there is nothing to occupy my mind, just everything that I can see, said Wright." "It's incredibly relaxing."

By the time Wright reaches his goal, he will have turned a year older, celebrating his 40th birthday on his scheduled last day.

You can support his journey by visiting his pagehttps://www.footprints4futures.ca/journal/