Former Calgary city councillor and mayoral candidate Jeromy Farkas collected more than $200,000 in donations through his run on the Pacific Crest Trail for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Calgary and Area (BBBS Calgary). ."While I was the one tackling the trail one step at a time, this couldn't have been done without the support of our community,” said Farkas in a Tuesday press release. .“Calgarians stepped up in a remarkable way to help empower young people to reach their biggest possible futures through mentorship.". Jeromy FarkasJeromy Farkas upon completing 1,694 miles. .The release said the campaign was supported by more than 900 donors. It said the money will be used to provide mentorship to young people facing adversity. .Farkas started his run on the Pacific Crest Trail in March. .He said he would attempt to run the trail — spanning California, Oregon, and Washington — and cover an average daily distance of the length of a marathon. His run started at the US-Mexico border in Camp, CA, and expected to finish at the Canada-US border in Manning Park, BC, in mid-June. ."And as my good friend Mayor Nenshi said, after many years (of him) telling me to take a hike, I figured this time I was going to take it literally,” he said. . Jeromy Farkas #2Jeromy Farkas standing by a mountain. .The release said his journey lasted 168 days, and he completed it on August 27. His journey saw him take 5.5 million steps. .It said he faced challenges such as blizzards, drought-stricken deserts, flash flooding, wildfires, mild hypothermia, frostbite, and COVID-19 on the trail..Despite the obstacles, the release said he was able to overcome this adversity with help from trail angels and hikers. It added those moments affected his journey, serving as a reminder of the relationship between a young person and a mentor. . Jeromy Farkas #3Jeromy Farkas standing by a city hall. ."Not only has Jeromy shown tremendous physical stamina through this journey, he’s also benefited from self-reflection and growth in the pursuit of helping others,” said BBBS Calgary president and CEO Ken Lima-Coelho..“The generosity our community has shown throughout this campaign helps us ensure the young people we serve through mentoring are able to learn lessons about resilience.”
