NDG resident, Jessie Krejcik does. She was the youngest girl ever to complete the bronze level Coureur de Bois of 160km Canadian Ski Marathon, the world’s longest cross-country ski marathon. Now, at the age of thirteen, Jessie is about to go for a gold level, and what’s more, she’s doing it in the name of charity.
With the help of local fundraiser and fellow skier Murray Levine, Jessie has titled her gold level ski attempt, Jessie’s Marathon of Hope. All proceeds she manages to raise will go to helping children with cancer.
Jessie said that a leg injury she suffered when she was eleven made her realize how tragic it is for kids to miss out on the joys of childhood because of illness. She also realized, at a very young age, the importance of being charitable.
“That’s so many people’s goal in life, to do something for charity and raise a lot of money,” said Jessie. “So I was like, wow, if I can accomplish that young, then I might as well do it.”
Jessie has a blog set up so that people can sponsor her race attempt and there is no question that her cause has been gathering steam. Even NDG MP, Marlene Jennings has pledged her support and will be raising awareness towards the cause on Parliament Hill.
Jessie’s mother, Sharon is proud of her daughter’s work. “When she does something, she gives it her all,” said Sharon. “It’s something that, as a parent, you always hope to see, but it’s not something you expect to see.”
One would think that Jessie was born on skis. At age three she was already comfortable with two planks strapped to her feet. At five she completed her first five kilometer race. And at thirteen, she’s completed the bronze and silver stages of the Coureur de Bois.
It was Jessie’s father, Tomas, who introduced her to the fun of skiing by enrolling her in the Jackrabbit program of the famed Laurentian ski club, The Viking Club.
Tomas, himself a competitive skier, said he encouraged her to ski, but that all she’s accomplished is through her own will. “The motivation has to come from her, because it’s not the kind of thing you can force someone to do,” he said.
Jessie’s gold attempt for the Coureur de Bois will take place between February 9 and 10. It is an overnight marathon which stretches from the Montebello area all the way to Lachute. She will have to ski the whole course while wearing a ten pound pack, with a night of outdoor camping in between the two days.
“My strategy is basically to go full out on the first day so I can get to the camp early and set up my stuff,” said Jessie. She thinks that a good night’s sleep will be the key to her getting through the five checkpoints on the second day in a timely fashion.
People can sponsor Jessie’s Marathon of Hope by visiting her blog at http://jessie160k.wordpress.com/ . There will are also repositories set up for donations in Jessie’s name at the Montreal Children’s Hospital and the Sainte Justine Hospital. Good luck Jessie!
