Matthew Erickson has taken up the challenge of raising awareness about the need to clean water in developing countries.
And, at the same time his effort is raising money to help with the cause.
Two weeks ago, Erickson, the associate pastor at the Yorkton Dream Centre, and also a Member Experience Coach at Anytime Fitness, decided he would walk the walk, the same way kids in developing countries do to get water — taking six kilometres trips.
Erickson, who moved to Yorkton with his family in the summer of 2018, went by foot carrying an empty, 40 litre water jug, three kilometres to a grocery store, filled it up and then walked home carrying the full jug.
Erickson’s effort proved a huge success, so much so he upped his fundraising goal -- initially set at $500 -- to $750 and said if he met it, he would double-down and carry two full 40 litre jugs for the three-kilometre walk home.
Erickson surpassed the new goal so Monday he took the double jug walk.
For Erickson supporting efforts dedicated to helping ensure clean water in other nations is not new.
In the spring of 2019 Erickson was one of the key people behind a ‘Walk for Water’ in Yorkton, a six kilometre trek held in partnership with World Vision.
“I did take the lead in putting that together and hope to do more events like that,” he said.
“However, due to COVID restrictions we are unable to have a large gathering like that, and World Vision has instead planned a nation-wide day to take place on May 29. The ‘virtual’ part of the event will allow anyone to participate from wherever they are, knowing that people across the country are doing it at the same time as them.”
Erickson explained he has been involved with World Vision for years.
“My wife and I started sponsoring kids through World Vision back in 2006, but it wasn’t until we moved to Yorkton that I learned about their Global 6K For Water,” he said. “Given my jobs as pastor and personal trainer, it just seemed like the perfect combination of both and I was excited to get involved.”
As for his recent solo walk it was an idea which grew out of the pandemic restrictions.
“Because we aren’t able to plan a big event, I hadn’t had as much luck getting people to register and fundraise – understandably -- so I wanted to try a different approach this year,” said Erickson.
“So on May 8, I took one of our empty Culligan water jugs (18.9 litres) and carried it from my house to Save On Foods -- I found out that distance was almost exactly three kilometres.”
And from there Erickson’s personal water walk began.
“The walk there took me about 30 minutes, but it took around an hour to walk home,” he said.
“I have a heart rate monitor that I use at Anytime Fitness and I wore it for the walk, and the walk home was equivalent to over two hard workouts.
“I do a lot of exercise at the gym, but this was one of the most difficult hours I’ve ever done, and I had plenty of aches and pains for a number of days afterwards.”
But the aches and pains would pass, but not Erickson’s determination to raise awareness about water.
“Since it did start creating a little bit of buzz from my own social media and with friends and family, I decided to try another challenge to raise a bit more,” he said.
“At the time I had raised just over $400, so I said that if I could raise at least $750 before the end of May I would carry two jugs for 3 km. It took only one day before I had exceeded that goal, and currently people have donated over $1,100.
“I physically don’t think I would be able to carry two of the Culligan bottles, and so I have some water containers from World Vision that actually hold a little bit more but are easier to carry because they are a different shape.”
The doubling down meant Erickson was carrying around 80 pounds of water in a three kilometre loop around his house.
On May 29, Erickson and his family will also participate in the nation-wide event.
“On that day it will be just a walk with my family -- my kids are 5 and 2 -- so it won’t be as physically demanding, although I do expect to carry my daughter and/or push my son in his stroller a good portion of the six kilometres,” he said.
Erickson said any support of the water walk effort is appreciated, noting it takes an average of $50 to bring one person sustainable access to clean water,
“I am proud to say that the $1,100 will bring 22 people water,” he said. His donation link is as follows: bit.ly/merickson6k
In addition to donations, if anyone is interested they can still join and participate. Registration for the Global 6K For Water is free, although donations are obviously encouraged.
“Besides my wife and kids who are also registered, at least two other people from Yorkton are registered that I know of, and anyone else is able to join by clicking the “Join Team” option on my fundraising page,” he said.
For more information about the Global 6K: https://www.worldvision.ca/team-world-vision/global-6k
