Miriam Ritskes, Maggie, Boyer, Nancy Stelzer and Cora Beking
photo by Mike+Ness Photography

North Grenville is taking up a challenge to raise funds for a women’s hospital in Cambodia. In last week’s Times, we wrote about the project and, this week, we present two of the four local women who have taken up the challenge so far. It’s not right to say we should help people at home before we look abroad for people to support. We can do both, and the needs in other countries, where they do not have OHIP and government support for programs, cannot wait until we have perfected out healthcare system. So, here are two individuals who have found their own way to challenge themselves for the good of others.

Cora Beking:

Taking up the Walking for Women Nokor Tep Hospital Challenge was an easy decision to make. My love for the great outdoors, walking, running and being involved in the family business, church and community has helped me stay active. So when my dear friend Janne Ritskes shared her inspirational story of her faith-led journey in Cambodia, I had to get on board. I wanted to be part of her team to raise one million dollars by year end. Having had the privilege of travelling to third world countries on mission trips and with Rotary, I have seen first-hand the lack of women’s health care.

I have challenged myself to walk 1,000km by December 31, and am asking 1000 of my family and friends to sponsor me for $10 or more to reach my goal of $10,000.
Then I also challenge you to ask 10 of your family and friends to sponsor me for $10 each. Put it out on social media. Together as a team we will make a difference for thousands of women in Cambodia. With your support, I’ll keep walking. To date I have walked 200 km.

In the New Year, I plan to make a quilt with a picture of everyone who was involved and sponsored me in this challenge. This will then go to Nokor Tep hospital, to display how we, as a team, came together to reach the million dollar goal. To sponsor me go to https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/tabitha-foundation/p2p/walkingforwomen/page/coras-1000-km-challenge-walk-for-nokor-tep-women/

Thank you for your support. Cora Beking

Marguerite Boyer:

Having met Janne Ritskes, through an interview, and having that one-on-one conversation with her, inspired me to take up my own challenge. I have pledged to raise $10,000 by the end of this year, by sticking to my exercise program every day. Carrie Smith (owner of Kemptville Physio) has pledged her time to help me with an exercise program suitable to me, and meeting my needs. Over the past ten years I have suffered from arthritis in the hips. Gradually, I did less and less physical activity, as the pain increased. In the last couple of months before I had surgery, it became too painful to walk a block, or even drive my car. I had become used to the pain, and had adapted.

The hip surgery seemed like a miracle to me. Looking back, before the surgery, I can now see how that much pain had affected my life, not only by being less active, but it seemed part of my brain had shut down. The creative side.

I feel like I have been given a new lease on life and am determined to stick to this new exercise program Carrie has offered me. She has even given me one day off a week, saying the body needs to rest. And instead of my old regime of exercise, I rotate the exercise. One day of upper torso, the next lower body. Warm up includes walking (something I still can’t do much of) every day.

I have always admired people who go off to third world countries, and we here at the newspaper have covered many of their stories. This is my chance to do something positive for a country I may never be able to visit. After my surgery, I realised how fortunate we are to live in Canada, where I did not have to pay a dime to have this surgery done. We have a good life here, and I am even more appreciative of it, after listening to Janne speak of the work that needs to be done in Cambodia. We take this country too much for granted.

So, I am asking people to pledge the minimum of ten dollars for this cause. Not only will this money help this women’s hospital in Cambodia, but it will help me keep on track to reach my goal, and also become fit. You can go to my page at: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/tabitha-foundation/p2p/walkingforwomen/page/marguerite-boyer/

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