After months of fundraising, even with the backdrop of a possible thunderstorm during the event, the Estevan CF Walk was a huge success. 

"We knew that no matter what, we had our successes in different ways. Whether it was community support, people just coming out, [or] volunteers helping us...this day is the reward of it all. That's why it's so special and important for us to just come here today and just finish this journey. We started [fundraising] about February, planning it again like we always do, and I think it's the most successful walk we've had," shared organizer Kasey McIntyre. 

The tagline for the walk this year is 'Make Cystic Fibrosis History'. For the McIntyre family, alongside over 50 participants, they are one step closer to that future after raising over $12,000 at last count. That number is expected to climb with an online auction and totals from other fundraisers still waiting to be accounted for. Their main motivation for raising funds is the pursuit of the cure for the disease. The family dedicated their walk to Liam McIntyre, who is currently battling cystic fibrosis. 

Kasey shared that preparing for the event was no easy feat. 

"We started Friday night after the BBQ at the Co-op. I'm bringing our stuff down here and it just was a revolving of one thing leading into the next. I would say it's a 48-hour haul of putting this all together.  Everybody just did their part wherever they could, and that was really kind."

The event was hosted inside the Woodlawn Regional Park, with the basecamp and event space being held in the new 'bin-zeebo' near the baseball diamond. Park Manager Maureen Daoust said it was an easy contribution to the cause and that she's on Team McIntyre. 

"We are so pleased to be able to host the walk. Last couple of years, we've hosted at Rotary Park and the Walk has been through the trails...and back for 2K or 4K. So we're just honoured that we can host and contribute to a community fundraiser."

"[Woodlawn is] primarily involved mostly for walk days, so they were here on Friday setting up. Our team rented the tent, but our maintenance was part of hauling down picnic tables and a fire pit because we have a few people that stayed in and camped for the event, mostly team members. Overall, we're just pleased that we can be tied to our community and supporting in whatever ways that we can," added Daoust. 

Participants young and old were walking the trails during the event. Kasey shared that her mother-in-law's goal was to complete the walk, despite having two knee surgeries in September and December last year. 

The outpouring support from the community for this event was overwhelming, McIntyre shared. 

"With the 10 year anniversary for ourselves as being a part of this, we started out just learning about the walk. [We] came to a couple local ones as a team and I was hooked. I  was like 'I want to do this more' and 'how can we make it bigger or better?' and you know, make it more about all of the city coming together. I can see being the 10th year for us and the 20th year for the national walk, I started feeling like this was going to be like a real celebration of both. I'm blown away. I'm really blown away by how well everything has been received. It just means a lot, knowing that there are so many people that want to help in...different ways."