Oakville man set to run across Canada to raise money for youth scholarships

A 22-year-old man from Oakville is planning to run across the country coast-to-coast to raise money for kids who have lost their parents or caregivers.

James Newman is aiming to run 7,500 kilometres across Canada to raise money for the Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada.

The trek will begin Monday in St. John’s and will span over several provinces west for around 100 days, before finishing in Victoria, B.C.

Newman says the run will likely take around 90 days to complete, and plans to cover around 75 to 80 kilometres a day.

He is running and accepting donations to fund scholarships for youth coping with profound loss, including those who have been involved with Canada’s child welfare system.

Newman says he lost both his parents when he was seven-year-old and was adopted by his grandparents. After being supported by a network of friends, family and community members, he wants to pay that forward to others.

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“I’ve always had this desire to give back, and I started doing endurance events just because I enjoyed them, like the Ironman and Ultramarathons, and biking across Europe — all these other things,” said Newman.

Newman says the idea to run across the country began around 2.5 years ago, but the drive to support others grew ever since he lost his parents.

He said he had spent the last few years preparing for the run with pre-habilitation practices and guidance from coaches and teammates.

Newman’s run will be monitored live on the James Runs Canada official website, where his precise location will be shared.

Anyone who wishes to donate to the cause or become a partner or sponsor can do so online.

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