A board of volunteers is grinding away in preparation of this year's 10th Annual Great Lake Walk, to take place Saturday, September 17.
The Great Lake Walk is an annual 56 kilometre walk around Cowichan Lake, with participants raising money for charities of their choice.
The board has been meeting monthly in preparation of this year's event since last year's walk wrapped up; minus December, a meeting made up for with two taking place in August.
There's much to talk about and plan, with the group's latest meeting, Tuesday, June 14, touching upon some key issues brought up in relation to last year's event.
"Duct tape is a big no-no," medical supervisor Dan Newport told the group. A first-responder instructor, Newport said that duct tape applied to feet may be useful during the walk itself, but at the end of the line it tore skin and injured walkers.
Duct tape will be stricken from this year's list of items placed at each rest stop, and there will be plenty of warnings against using the injury-inflicting material.
Publicity, their website at www.greatlakewalk.com, registration, and other items were also discussed during the June 14 meeting.
Volunteers will be a major stepping stone, just as it is every year, with about 300 volunteers required to help run the event.
"There's a need for foot care people," chair Joan Hieta said, adding that there's always a need for more people to take care of participants' hurting feet.
Commemorating this year's 10th annual walk, a draw will be available to those who finish the walk to enter, for a $1,000 retreat package at the Honeymoon Bay Lodge and Retreat. Also special to the 10th annual walk will be 10-year pins for all walkers.
Last year's largest team of participants, from Pearson College, will not only return for this year's event, but will host a rest stop, at rest stop eight of 12; a location named the Youbou Lookout.
Although the walk is still a few months down the road, the early bird deadline is only a couple weeks away.
After July 1, the registration price will begin to go up, from its current $40.
The board of volunteer organizers will meet again Tuesday, July 12, when they will discuss what will be going on with this year's finish line entertainment.
The Gazette will provide an in-depth preview of this year’s events in the issue leading up to the Great Lake Walk.