A woman walking across the western provinces in support of veterans’ issues made a stop in North Battleford on Monday night.
Kate MacEachern’s walk for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, The Long Way Homes, stopped at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch No. 70 for a local fundraiser event.
MacEachern’s arrival was accompanied by an honour guard of motorcycles from the Canadian Legion of Riders, who heralded her final steps up to the legion hall.
Inside, MacEachern was welcomed with several cheque presentations. Those included a $500 cheque from the Legion of Riders, another $100 from Legion No. 9 in Battleford, a free night’s stay at Best Canadian Motor Inn in North Battleford and other donations.
Arriving in North Battleford from her last stop in the town of Hafford, MacEachern had completed 372 kilometres of her journey across western Canada.
Her journey began in Nipawin and will end with her arrival in Chilliwack, home of this year’s Wounded Warriors Weekend. The entire journey will ultimately span 3,000 kilometers over a period of three months.
MacEachern has carried along a 45-pound rucksack and was accompanied on her journey into the Battlefords by four others. The entourage includes her 11-year-old son Tyler who has also been walking beside her.
Cpl. MacEachern is a veteran of the mounted troop of Lord Strathcona’s Horse Regiment. She suffered life-threatening injuries while on duty. Her own physical recovery was long and hard, and she suffers from PTSD.
When asked what her prime motivator is to do the Long Way Home, she pointed to “my own injuries, and knowing how I felt through the process of getting better from physical injury as well as the emotional side.
“For a while I thought it was a complete game changer. I thought it was ‘game over for me’ type thing, but once I started learning how to survive and not be a victim, that’s what keeps pushing me because I know there are other people out there like me. I meet them every single day.”
This is the third, and likely the last, time MacEachern will be walking across the country in support of those living with PTSD.
But it is her first trek across western Canada, and she has particularly been struck by the warmth of the welcome she’s received so far in Saskatchewan.
“Saskatchewan is absolutely incredible,” said MacEachern. In citing the hospitality shown, MacEachern pointed to “the generosity, the food — seriously, I’m probably up about 10 pounds right now. They’re probably going to roll me over the Rockies at this point!”
It has been a hard journey at times, with a lot of lonely walks through remote areas, but MacEachern said the support shown has really helped her along the way.
“There comes some points where you really wonder if it’s going to make a difference,” MacEachern said. “But then you get that one person stopping, one person who emails or one person who calls, and it reminds you that you can make a difference.”
MacEachern was due to leave North Battleford Tuesday morning as she continued her journey west. Those interested in more information can follow her at her website www.thelongwayhome.ca.
