Teen puts in Miles for Refugees

During the pandemic, 14-year-old Creemore resident Beatrix Karsgaard found herself with some time on her hands and in search of a worthwhile activity.
One day in August, Karsgaard came across The British Red Cross’ Miles for Refugees fundraiser, and being familiar with the good work of The Red Cross, she decided to get involved.
Money raised through Miles for Refugees will help the British Red Cross to support refugees and asylum seekers in the United Kingdom. Participants are asked to complete one of several distances that reflect part of a journey that a refugee may have taken to reach safety: crossing the English Channel, 22 miles; Calais to London, 108 miles; Paris to London, 285 miles; Izmir to Dubrovnik, 555 miles; and Damascus to Beirut, 72 miles.
Throughout the month of September, Karsgaard committed to running, walking and cycling 160 miles, or 257 km, representative of the distance from Tunis to Sicily. Asylum seekers regularly make the journey from the economically struggling North African country of Tunisia.
She said she chose that distance, acknowledging the need for assistance in that area and also to ensure she had an attainable goal.
Karsgaard notes that unlike them, she will complete this huge distance that so many have to travel, without a safe, warm home to return to, and notes half of all refugees are children, even though children only make up about one third of the global population.
Karsgaard has been on the move this month, completing 60 km and raising more than $300 so far.
She is trying to do 10 km per day and is keeping track of her movements, even when on vacation with her family.
Having started Grade 9 this week at Collingwood Collegiate Institute, she will have to put in some extra miles on the weekends.
To sponsor Karsgaard, visit miles-for-refugees-2020.everydayhero.com/uk/Beatrix.