Linda Corrente and Kim Broadbent, the visionaries behind the WalkCK program, received the Feature Act Recognition on Monday, June 13, as part of the Community Development Forum.
WalkCK was started in 2013 to introduce and educate the community about, as well as celebrate, the trails Chatham-Kent has to offer. In 2014, WalkCK beginning offering free guided walks of trails to people of all ages so they could learn about the history of the trails and the surrounding eco-system. Seven walks are hosted each year to celebrate the diverse habitats and communities within Chatham-Kent.
Both Corrente and Broadbent are certified hike leaders with Hike Ontario and organize WalkCK as volunteers. They started WalkCK because they are passionate about encouraging people to enjoy the beautiful trails within Chatham-Kent. At the recognition, they expressed their thanks and noted how each walk is special, as it allows people to enjoy walking outdoors, meet new people and showcase all that Chatham-Kent has to offer. They encouraged people to get involved either by joining a walk or becoming a hike leader.
Mayor Randy Hope presented the certificate of recognition and expressed his appreciation for their efforts: “It is volunteers like Linda and Kim that help build Chatham-Kent and move it forward. WalkCK is great blend of education, healthy living and promoting Chatham-Kent.”
The Chatham-Kent Chamber of Commerce President, Gail Bishop, and Wallaceburg & District Chamber of Commerce Chair, Karen Debergh, cited WalkCK as an excellent example of how innovative programs like this make the municipality a special and welcoming place to live and do business. It shows how our people care about creating a community, they continued. Chatham-Kent should be a place where everyone has options to connect, be active and healthy, and WalkCK is a great role model of connecting awareness, community and quality of life, they said.
The next guided walk will be held on June 18 at MacDonald Park Trail, in Wallaceburg. Walks are held the third Saturday of each month from April to October at 10 a.m. To learn more, visit www.walkck.ca or email info@walkck.ca.
The Feature Act recognition ceremony was held at the Civic Centre during the Chatham-Kent Community Development Forum, a regular televised discussion forum hosted by the Municipality of Chatham-Kent and TV COGECO. Feature Act is a recognition program of the CK Community Leaders’ Cabinet in partnership with the Chatham-Kent Chamber of Commerce and the Wallaceburg & District Chamber of Commerce, which thanks citizens for building a better Chatham-Kent.
– Submitted photo: Karen Debergh Chair, Wallaceburg & District Chamber of Commerce, Linda Corrente and Kim Broadbent, WalkCK, Gail Bishop, President CEO of Chatham-Kent Chamber of Commerce, Mayor Randy Hope.
