2026 Hike Recap

The 2026 Hike for Hospice in Olds and Didsbury was a meaningful day of connection, remembrance, and community support. Together, we raised just over $20,000 in support of palliative care and bereavement services across our region.

Across both locations, we welcomed approximately +150 participants, including many new families who joined us for the first time. It was especially encouraging to see increased family participation, creating a warm and inclusive atmosphere for all ages.

Olds Event Highlights

This year, we hosted the Olds hike at Olds Elementary School, which proved to be an outstanding venue. We are incredibly grateful to the school for their generosity in providing the space at no cost—a contribution that made a meaningful impact on the event’s success.

The event featured:

Face painting and bouncy houses for children
A high-energy warm-up led by Olds Minor Soccer
A welcoming, family-friendly environment that we are excited to continue building on

Didsbury Reflection & Future Planning

While Didsbury has been an important part of our Hike for Hospice tradition, attendance this year was lower, with approximately 10 participants. After thoughtful consideration, we have decided to combine the events into one larger, unified hike in Olds moving forward. This will allow us to create an even stronger, more vibrant experience and maximize community impact.

Community Acknowledgements

We were honoured to have:

Chad Taylor, bringing greetings on behalf of the Town of Olds
Joan Molitor, sharing remarks from the Board
Mary Smith, recognizing the incredible efforts of volunteers, staff, and the community

A special thank you to Corey El for serving as Master of Ceremonies in Olds.

In Didsbury, we extend our appreciation to:

Mary Hatcher, who served as Master of Ceremonies
Cheryl Dahl, for her support
Gord Krebs, for assisting throughout the event
Amber Thaxter, keeping everything running smoothly

Team Recognition

This event would not have been possible without the dedication and hard work of our team:

Bridget Ryan, Services Coordinator
Amber Thaxter, Nu2u Manager
Neo Persson, Office Assistant

Their planning, coordination, and commitment were instrumental in making the day run smoothly.

Sponsor Appreciation

We extend our sincere thanks to our generous sponsors whose support helped make this event possible:

Sims Furniture
ProAll Manufacturing
Big Horn Electric
Buster’s Pizza
Daphne’s Market

Special thank you to our hike volunteers Debbie, Taylor, Glenda, Mary & John , Joan, Faith, Ryder, Desrae, Neo and Christian!

Jim Stone was once again our largest Fundraising individual. Congratulations Jim Stone and Friends for rasiing close to $5,000 for quality hospice palliative care in Mountain View County.

Other top teams were:

Walkin 'Talkin' Besties + 2,000

Lesley Anne Krause + 1,300

Jack Fewster +880

Connie's Cookies +800

Hike for Help +785

Looking Ahead

We recognize that recent changes, including offering MAID in the hospice suites, may have shifted engagement among some long-time supporters. At the same time, we are grateful to see new faces and growing family involvement.

Looking ahead to 2027, we are excited to:

Build an even more family-focused event
Expand youth and children’s activities
Strengthen community connection through one unified event in Olds

Thank you to everyone who walked, donated, volunteered, and supported Hike for Hospice. Your contributions make compassionate care possible in our community.

SAVE THE DATE 2027

OLDS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
May 2 @ 10:00am

Theme : Tropical

Lunch Sponsor : Busters Pizza

Bouncy house, face painter and many more fun activities for kids of all ages.

Kicks off Palliative Care week