· 4 min read
2023 Year in Review
A highlight of the activities organized by Muslim Hikers in 2023
Alhumdulilah it’s been a very eventful year for the group. We grew from just a handful of friends organizing hikes to almost 2,400 members this year. As we reflect upon the past year, we are filled with gratitude and awe at the incredible journey we have collectively undertaken. The trails we traversed and the bonds we forged along the way have made this year truly remarkable. All of this wouldn’t have been possible without the active participation of everyone who showed up to our events, and the organisers who volunteered their time and energy into making each event a successful one. Together, we hiked nearly 500 km this year, with our two longest hikes being ~30km and ~20km on the Bruce Trail. Here are some of the highlights of activities we did as a group this year.
Achievements
Camping Trip to Killarney
We had our first camping trip in October at Killarney Provincial Park. Alhumdulilah, the trip was a great success even with bad weather. We booked two sites at Killarney, one for the sisters and one for the brothers. Both sites were at full capacity, and we had a waiting list for people who wanted to attend.
As part of the camping trip, we also attened an astronomy night at the park. The local Astronomy club had brought out their telescopes and provided instructions to the guests on their proper usage and astronomy in general. We were able to observe Saturn through the telescope and witness the ring around it.
This was the first camping trip led by the group, and atleast half of the participants had never camped before. Alhumdulilah, everyone enjoyed their time, learnt some new skills and made new friends.
Kids Friendly Hike at Rattlesnake
Also in October, we had one of our largest gathering at Rattlesnake. We had a total of 35 adventurers show up to our hike and photography workshop. This was out first kids friendly hike, with families coming with their kids and even some grandparents.
Fundraising hikes
This year we ran 3 campaigns to raise funds for different causes.
Morocco Earthquake - $500 Raised
Morocco was hit by an earthquake in September and there was a call out made to raise funds to help the people affected by it’s aftermath. This was our first campaign as a group and we were able to raise $500 in a very short time. The funds were all donated to MSF (Doctors without Borders)
Build a well - $1,200 Raised
During the fall we ran charity hikes to raise funds to build a well through MuslimHands. We were able to raise $1,200 in a month and donated it directly to MuslimHands. Updates will be provided when the well is constructed.
Gaza Appeal - $1,211 Raised
When the situation in Gaza turned into a humanitarian disaster, the group setup a campaign to raise funds through PennyAppeal. Our campaign ran for a month and we were able to raise $1,211.
Special thanks
I’d like to take a moment to thank all the volunteers who’ve helped lead hikes and manage the facebook group. Alhumdulilah each hike lead volunteered their time without being asked, and took on the responsibility of researching trails, setting up the event, and leading the group on the day of the hike.
The leads: Aicha, Ahmed, Aliya, Areej, Faraz, Ikram, Ramsha, Rebecca, Saima, Umar, Umer
Additionally, I’d like to thank Umer for helping with running the facebook group as a moderator. Ramsha for organising, running and managing the charity campaign for Gaza. Faraz for generating graphics to be posted on our Insta page. Tanvir and Yasseer for their videography skills.