Jessi has done it again! Vanderhoof has done it again! Jessi’s fundraising contribution goal was $5,000 this year and her 2017 Gutsy Walk to Greer Creek on Sunday June 4 exceeded expectations by raising almost $10,000 for Chron’s and Colitis treatment research and advocacy in Canada.
Jessi has been struggling with Crohn’s disease for the past three years. She has been in hospital in Vancouver for extended periods of time and really has had every aspect of her life affected by her Crohn’s disease. She has become active with Crohn’s and Colitis Canada to raise awareness and to help fundraise for ongoing research and advocacy. Every year they hold a fundraising “Gutsy Walk”.
Last year, Jessi raised over $11,000 which made her the top individual fundraiser in B.C. and one of the top fundraisers recognized in Canada.
“It’s pretty amazing because it was really her community that supported her. The other top fundraisers in Canada are from Toronto, Montreal - all big cities. And here is this little town in Northern B.C. that successfully supported Jessi in many ways - one of which was by donating to the fundraiser. I think our town should be celebrated for that. I think people should know what an amazing, supportive town we have. None of the people in Vancouver, or Kelowna or Victoria were supported as well as Jessi for her Gutsy Walk last year” said Jessi’s mom Dr. Suzanne Campbell.
Greer Creek Falls
This year Jessi is home and doing well and they had her 2017 Gutsy Walk, a hike to Greer Creek falls, south of Vanderhoof, this past Sunday. Jessi and her family would like to thank everyone who has and is continuing to support Jessi’s journey in “Making it stop”.
Look out for Jessi’s third annual Gutsy Walk in June 2018. The walk along the trail to Greer Creek Falls is a relaxed and beautiful hike suitable for hikers for all ages. It is an open and flexible event so people arrive and leave at different times. There is a banner at the head of the trail and lots of information about Crohn’s and Colitis posted along the trail.
Jessi and her family arrived on Sunday at the waterfalls around noon and shared a picnic lunch and lots of yummy cookies. It was a fun hike with lots of community support - even Vanderhoof Mayor, Gerry Thiessen was there.
Gutsywalk.ca
Some folks who have supported Jessi are not able to participate in the walk because it is a fair distance out of town and isn’t very accessible or sometimes people are away for the weekend. But anyone can donate anytime towards the Gutsy Walk fundraising goal online. Go to gutsywalk.ca then click on the ‘Donate’ tab and search under ‘Individual’ for Hartwig, or go to Jessi’s page https://m-crohnsandcolitiscanada.akaraisin.com/13282/participant/2693427
Every dollar raised and/or donated for Gutsy Walk counts towards Crohn’s &Colitis Canada’s Make it stop. For life. fundraising campaign. This ambitious campaign will help raise $100 million by 2020 to invest in transformational research, patient programs and advocacy so that every child can live life to the fullest, and ultimately, be cured.
Hear Jessi sing
Listen to Jessi Hartwig sing ‘The Holy City’ by English composer Stephen Adams, accompanied by Swan Kiezebrink on Friday June 2 at Swan’s Music Studio year end recital https://youtu.be/vyrBu9ezAC8 (note the period in youtu.be)
