Class assignment inspires UPEI writing student to trek 100 km for Poppy Fund

Chris Murphy was asked to write a 500-word essay about Remembrance Day. Instead he put on a heavy army rucksack and spent nearly 35 hours walking 100 kilometres to raise money for the Poppy Fund. 

"I don't know if I still have to do the assignment," the UPEI student told CBC Island Morning's Mitch Cormier. "It's overdue right now."

Murphy's English teacher at UPEI, Professor Lee Ellen Pottie, assigned the essay while talking to her English 1010 academic writing class about the importance of remembering the sacrifices of military veterans. Her son and his wife are both serving in the Canadian Armed Forces.  

At some point during the conversation about showing respect by marking Remembrance Day, Murphy realized: "Myself, I've kind of lost that. So I just thought 'Let's go a step further.'" 

Despite the fact that he had never done a long trek before, Murphy thought it could be a good fundraiser for the Royal Canadian Legion's Poppy Fund, which provides support and financial assistance to Canadian Armed Forces and RCMP veterans and their families.

"I just thought, you know, 'Let's do something that's big.' Like, 100 kilometres was a good number to do."

The rucksack he bore weighed between 15 and 35 pounds, depending on how much water he was carrying along with some jackets for different weather conditions and first-aid equipment in case of emergencies.

Murphy works out "pretty much daily," and goes for a run a couple of times a week. But still, the effort took 34 hours and 40 minutes, with time off for some breaks and a two-hour nap on Wednesday morning from 2 a.m. to 4 a.m. 

Raised nearly $1,000

And the Poppy Fund donations did start coming in. 

"If you're actually going out, putting in the work, people notice it — and maybe it's a little bit extra motivation for them to donate." 

As of Friday, Murphy had raised nearly $1,000 through links on his Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts. 

"Even a few dollars, you know, that is great too … as long as you donate, that's the most important thing."

As for Pottie, she took notice of what her class assignment had accomplished and was "so proud."

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