Footsteps4 Good to cover 200 miles and 24 Islands & Cays of Turks and Caicos

By Dana Malcolm

Staff Writer

#TurksandCaicos, December 7, 2021 – For the first time in history, the 24 islands and cays of the Turks and Caicos are set to be fully circumnavigated in one uninterrupted event and leading the charge is courageous Amanda Dakin, wife of the Turks and Caicos governor.

The challenge, dubbed Footsteps4Good by the organization of the same name is a charity adventure launched with a run/walk from the Children’s Park in the Bight.

The original challenge was the brainchild of Jill Beckingham the former governor’s wife; that challenge has grown to span 13 days and over 200 miles on land and sea and is now championed by the current governor’s wife ‘Mandy’ Dakin along with John Galleymore, organizer with One TCI and the Provo Roadrunners.

So far, Footsteps has seen participants walking across Pine Cay, kayaking to Fort George Cay, cycling across North Caicos, trekking the largest island of Middle Caicos and wading over to East Caicos and more on their way to achieving the ambitious target through the archipelago.

Despite the heavy route, enthusiasts, in video and photos being shared are all smiles.

Footsteps4Good will continue until December 16^th and Mrs. Dakin will channel her energies toward efforts on the community opportunities scheduled for each island.  Participants will be able to join the core team, which involves a couple of other Dakins including her son, along certain sections of the route.

The entry fee is $20 and it is to be donated – in full – to the charity of the individual’s choice. The final list of non-profits boasts over 25 charities from which participants can choose, among them: the TCI Heart Foundation; the Turks and Caicos AIDS Awareness Foundation; Food for Thought; the Salvation Army; the TCI Red Cross; Rotaract; The Provo Children’s Home; the Turks and Caicos Reef fund,  the TCSPCA and a host of others.

The next community event comes on Thursday December 9 in South Caicos, the country’s fishing capital.  Participants can join in the fun and support their charities of choice at a fun walk/run scheduled for a 6 a.m. start.