Recently 120 Royal LePage professionals journeyed to Morocco from communities across Canada to participate in the Sahara Desert Challenge for Shelter.
Over five days they hiked more than 100 km across hard and rocky terrain, supporting each other along the way. They climbed sand dunes hundreds of metres high and withstood hours of walking in blistering heat. At night, the temperatures dipped to near freezing.
Trekkers celebrate reaching the Sahara Desert Challenge for Shelter finish line.
To participate in the challenge, each trekker committed to raise at least $5,000 for the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation and cover their own travel and trekking expenses. The fundraisers blew past their fundraising goal, ultimately raising more than $1.136 million. Eighty per cent of the funds raised were directed to emergency women’s shelters and transition houses across Canada. The remaining 20 per cent will fund prevention and education programs aimed at breaking the cycle of family violence.
Danielle Margolis of Royal LePage Dynamic Real Estate in Winnipeg, was the top fundraiser in the Sahara Desert Challenge for Shelter, raising more than $38,000. (Photo: Sebastian Albrecht)
“The trekkers put in considerable time and effort to fundraise, prepare by hiking long distances at home and then travel across the world to take part in the challenge,” says Shanan Spencer-Brown, executive director of the foundation. “Across Canada, many other Royal LePagers made donations to support the cause. It was truly a team effort.”
There have been three Challenge for Shelter treks in support of the foundation, in Machu Picchu, Iceland and the Sahara Desert, which have raised a total of $2.3 million. To view a collection of photos from the most recent adventure, click here.
