MINDEMOYA—Leanne Lewis of Mindemoya is ready to embark on another life changing event by taking part in the Cambodia Challenge for Shelter this week. This challenge will be the second she has taken part in, participating in a similar challenge to Ecuador in 2023. As she takes part in the challenge, she is also supporting Manitoulin Haven House.
“I will be leaving at 1:45 am on Saturday, with the flight being about 16-18 hours. There is also a 12-hour time difference,” Ms. Lewis told The Expositor on Wednesday of last week. “I will arrive in Cambodia later in the day on (Sunday) October 19.”
Ms. Lewis will gather for dinner with the rest of the group taking part in the challenge on October 22, and will then have a couple of days to acclimatize to the surroundings. “We begin our trek on October 23, one of our five hiking days (October 23-27),” she explained.
“I don’t know what to expect but I’m tired of waiting and want to get started,” said Ms. Lewis. She said one of the biggest challenges that this trek will provide is the heat that participants will have to put up with.
“It is expected we will be seeing a range of between 30-32° Celsius every day,” said Ms. Lewis. “Last week the temperature was 57° Celsius one day (in Cambodia), but even if the temperatures are in the 30s—it is very humid.”
“There should be 30 in my group, there are four groups of 30 participants in each,” continued Ms. Lewis.
To be eligible to take part, Ms. Lewis had to pay for her own trek and travel expenses and had to raise at least $10,000 for the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation. Of the funds she raises, 80 percent will be directed to Manitoulin Haven House and 20 percent will fund national domestic violence prevention programs,” said Ms. Lewis. She held a St. Patrick’s Day fundraising event on March 15 at the Mindemoya Curling Club.
“At this point I am within the top 20 fundraisers, about 16-17th in Canada of all Challenge participants, which is amazing for a small community. I have received an amazing amount of support,” said Ms. Lewis. She has raised over $17,000 toward her goal of $20,000.
Ms. Lewis tried to recruit five business sponsors to each sponsor a day of the trek, to be featured in a special thank-you video from Cambodia and shared across her social medial platform. “Wahl Water will be featured on day one, Poulson Law on day two and Dr. Signs in Espanola on day three. I am still looking for two more businesses to take part.”
Ms. Lewis was one of 120 Royal LePage agents across Canada selected to take part in the challenge last January.
She explained previously, “For five days I’ll be trekking alongside like-minded colleagues from coast-to-coast, all in support of the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation. While my trek towards the picturesque temples of Angkor Wat will be immensely rewarding it will not be easy!”
She is going without the comforts of home, sleeping in a small tent, using rustic bathroom facilities and unplugging completely from cell service and technology.
The Royal LePage Shelter Foundation has raised over $46 million to date and currently supports 200 local women’s shelters and national partners. Since its founding in 1998, the foundation has proudly grown to become the largest public foundation in Canada dedicated exclusively to funding women’s shelter and domestic violence prevention.
Royal LePage is the only Canadian real estate company with its own charitable foundation.
