Rotary Silves are on count-down in their preparations for the long 120 km march from the Portuguese border to Santiago de Compostela. All ten participants are off on regular training walks to tone up muscles which have been neglected over the covid-19 years.

None more so than that “Dad’s Army” type pilgrim, the 82 year old David Butler-Cole. Compared to some of the younger brethren, he has had no major bodily disaster – though he does complain of Creaky Knee Syndrome. This problem is probably as much mental as physical. To boost his confidence he has recently purchased a pair of Norwegian walking poles on the internet, purporting to come from Germany. When David opened the package he found a dreaded “Made In PRC” label. Shouldn’t they have kept to chopsticks? Will the poles collapse under a gruelling day’s walk? Watch this space, and you will find out!

David, along with the whole Rotary Silves team, have committed themselves to this pilgrimage in order to gain support from the public in their quest to raise funds to equip a much needed sensory room to help autistic children and their teachers at the Silves Sul school in Armação de Pera. Each Rotarian will be carrying the personal mascot on the walk given them by a class from the school. The kids will be able to follow the progress of the mascot through daily contact with the team.

Will you help us? You can sponsor David personally or all ten Rotary Pilgrims in aid of this good cause. All money raised will go directly to this project. Please donate now whatever you can at internet site GoFundMe.com via Rotary page “Help Pilgrims Change Kids Lives.”                          

The walk starts on Sept. 23^rd and the survivors will hopefully totter into Santiago by Sept. 30. If no one makes it, you can ask for your money back!