Waterdown resident Manny Maciel is celebrating his 65th birthday in a big way by raising money for the SickKids Foundation.

In a normal year, Maciel would have likely would have celebrated with friends and family. As the pandemic dragged on, he dug deep to derive meaning from his birthday in a different way.

“I reflected on turning 65 as a milestone birthday,” says Maciel. “I wanted to celebrate by giving back to a meaningful cause by walking 1 kilometer for every year I’ve been on the planet to raise $25,000 for SickKids.”

His fundraising efforts began in January, and donations trickled in right away. In the last couple of weeks with the effort of his entire community, donations have been flooding in.

“The original goal was 25,000 and we are at $30,200 with 18 days left,” says Maciel. “We are now looking to raise $35,000 with a stretch goal of $40,000.”

To prepare for his walk, Maciel has been clocking kilometres in any way he can while training. He has spent many weekends exploring the Bruce Trail and trekking between the villages of Waterdown of Carlisle as he prepares for the big day.

The walk will take place on May 15, 2021, beginning at 4:00 a.m.

To learn more about Maciel’s journey and where to donate, find him on Instagram @inspiru.