Rain did little to dampen the spirits for the 2025 Hike for Hospice.
With a goal of $150,000, supporters smashed that mark, as more than $174,000 was raised.
This brought the Hike’s to-date fundraising number over the $1.5 million mark.
The May 4 event was the ninth rendition of the Hike.
On Sunday more than 250 of the over 400 people registered braved the rain and headed out along Mud Creek Trail.
Jodi Maroney, executive director with the Chatham-Kent Hospice Foundation, said participants forged on despite the weather.
“We were impressed,” she said of the dedicated support. “It was awesome! This was the first one (Hike) we got rained on. We can’t really be that fussy.”
Maroney said a number of registrants opted for early donations and early walking, beating the weather.
“We had a lot of people who took advantage of the early bird drop offs (for pledges). And others took advantage of the trail being set up all week, and they walked another day,” she said. “But we still had a good crowd day of, which is fantastic.”
Even with the wet weather, there was still face painting, live music, rock painting and other activities going on prior to the Hike, Maroney said.
Hike participant Katie Holmes, who has taken part in seven Hikes, said the event is always special to her and her family.
“For a week, the trail was adorned with signs displayed in memory of loved ones no longer with us. One of those signs was for my mom. She spent her final nine days at Hospice where she received the best compassionate care and was surrounded by so much love,” she said in a media release. “I give back to this incredible organization by participating in the Hike with my fellow Lou’s Crew teammates. We do it in her honor. It is my gift and my thank you to Chatham-Kent Hospice while keeping my mom’s memory alive, through love, service and community.”
Huron Construction and The Miller Group earned accolades as the top corporate challenge team.
Returning sponsors Battery Boy as Title Sponsor, and Pre-Hike Family Fun sponsor Kent & Essex Mutual, were supported by Fairway Wealth Management, Teksavvy, Chatham Lions Club, and MicroAge/MC Business Solutions.
For Maroney, this marks her final Hike as executive director of the foundation. She is retiring at the end of June. But she said she’s not leaving the hospice behind.
“I plan on still being involved in all the activities, just in a different way,” she said, as she’s pledged to volunteer.
Maroney isn’t worried about the fundraising for the hospice in the future. She said the foundation staff are all very experienced, and the volunteer support is top notch.
“The formula we have been doing, setting up the trail all week, and getting families involved all week, I think that’s still the plan,” she said of future Hikes “They’ll have to see what other great ideas the team comes up with between now and then. Our goal is to raise more every year, but to make it a better event every year.”
Maroney said the foundation has to raise an average of $182,000 a month to provide the needed supports for hospice operations that aren’t covered by government dollars.
“This event in itself almost covered an entire month. It really makes a difference,” she said.
