A local teen's rollerblading trek from Windsor to London has exceeded expectations.
Val Gotelaer, a 17-year-old Ridgetown high schooler, left Windsor on her rollerblades on Tuesday, attending class each day before continuing her journey where she left off the night before. She arrived at London's Budweiser Gardens on Sunday around 3pm.
Gotelaer says she was able to raise around $2,000 for the ALL For Kids program which funds recreational activities for children in CK, and the Big E Foundation which supports amateur hockey.
"It's a lot higher than I was expecting," she says. "The past couple years I've made about $400, so this year was pretty crazy. I'm very pleased with the amount that I raised this year.
This is the third year Gotelaer took on the 200 km rollerblading challenge.
"It's a really good feeling to know that what I'm doing is really inspiring people like I've been inspired myself," she says. "It's good to know that I'm making a difference."
She says the trek was inspired by former London Knights prospect Ian Jenkins, who died in a tragic accident in 2011 when the 15-year-old tumbled out the back of a pick-up truck.
She says Jenkins lived by the motto "have a purpose".
- WIth files from Mike James.
