Tofield youth to re-enact historic Pioneer Trek

Every four years, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints organizes a “trek,” which is a re-enactment of the historic Pioneer Trek for their congregation.

This year they will be arranging one in the Cold Lake area from July 17-21, and 10 kids from the Tofield congregation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will be participating in it.

“It’s a life-altering journey . . . it’s something I’ve done when I was a kid, and I know how amazing it will be for all those who are taking part,” said Dan Hillyer, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Tofield, and also one of the host families for the trek, along with his wife, Nicole Hillyer. “There will be around 200 kids from ages 12-18 taking part from north-eastern Alberta.”

This is their second year of doing the trek, and involves a lot of planning, Hillyer added.

Each couple is assigned about ten kids, who are complete strangers to one and another, but through the 30-40 km path of walking and pushing their handcart, moving from one place to another within a moment’s notice, they end up like family at the end of the experience.