Wendy & Raye Miske
THE JOURNEY THAT LED TO A FUTURE GIFT

A side profile of a woman in a russet-colored turtleneck and white bag. She looks up with her eyes closed.

“We see the value in preserving the Trail permanently for many reasons: the experience of enjoying nature with friends and family, the importance of preserving local habitats, and the need to support a healthy climate.”

— Wendy Miske, Bruce Trail Conservancy Donors

In 1998, Wendy and Ray set out with three other couples on what would become a three-year end-to-end hike on the Bruce Trail from Niagara to Tobermory.

(The group is shown above on the last day of their journey, with Wendy and Ray at the far right).

Wendy writes:

We thought we knew each other well before. But when you walk side by side, every day for five hours, you really have time to listen to the other person. We observed our friendships deepening along the Trail with each passing season.

Each year we would begin in early spring, with the snow still on the ground, and witness the appearance of early wildflowers, followed by the buds coming out on the trees. We took pause in the hot summer months only to resume our journey in the fall, just in time to enjoy the glorious colours and the sounds of the rustling leaves beneath our feet. The Bruce Trail is magnificent.

We shared many laughs along the way, had fun, and overcame some challenges together. We celebrated our accomplishment with some champagne while reading a letter two hikers had left behind just one week prior to our arrival at the Peninsula cairn. That chapter in our lives was a memorable experience that we look back upon fondly.

sunset

The decision to include a gift to the Bruce Trail Conservancy in our wills was an easy one.

We see the value in preserving the Trail permanently for many reasons: the experience of enjoying nature with friends and family, the importance of reserving local habitats, and the need to support a healthy climate.

It feels good knowing our gift will contribute to procuring the Bruce Trail for generations to come.

We are a close family, and so we decided to share our wishes with our three children. It was part of the planning process for us, and we wanted to be sure there were no surprises.

It is our hope that our future gift will help to secure the entire Trail permanently. We want our kids and our grandkids to be able to walk and enjoy the Bruce Trail, too.

Since completing their end-to-end, Wendy and Ray continue to explore Bruce Trail side trails with friends and family.

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