When do you tell a fun, talented, passionate, loyal employee who happens to have a rare and scary heart condition to take a hike? When she asks for it!
Our own Bonny MacInnis is leaving us to hike 500 miles along the Appalachian Trail, raising awareness and funds for Left Ventricular Noncompaction Cardiomyopathy (LVNC).
I’ve gotten to know Bonnie at Walker where she works on the on-call team supporting our clients and leading our community service team. She is a generous, kind soul who laughs easily and often. She’s the kind of employee that makes being boss easy: She is appreciative, reliable, team-spirited, and always looking for ways to contribute.
Bonny found out she had LVNC a few years ago and after having a pacemaker implanted she lived in fear - until she decided not to. She hatched the idea for her hike as a way to raise awareness and funds for LVNC and to not let a disease define her. This was the beginning of hiking4hearts.org and Bonny’s dream.
She worked incredibly hard to get into shape for this hike, losing over 65 pounds and working out for a couple of hours before and after work. On weekends she took practice hikes. And planned her trip. Now she’s ready to go.
We talk a lot about leadership at Walker, and at a recent gathering we agreed on several of the attributes of a true leader:
• Initiative
• Dedication
• Drive
• Vision
• Dependability
• Follow-through
• Courage
Bonnie has all of these.
We wish her well!
There’s an Irish blessing
that comes to mind:
May the road rise to meet
you,
May the wind always be at
your back,
May the sun shine warm
upon your face,
May the rains fall softly
upon your fields…
And might we add:
May the critters you meet
be friendly and small
May your blisters heal
without pain
May black fly season be
over by now
And may your tent not
leak in the rain
May you inspire us to
wonder
As you wander the wood
What dreams we
might reach for
If only we could!
But we can’t
Because
Well
Frankly
Someone has to work
While you’re off
Wandering the
wilderness
But that’s ok
Really!
Still,
Go knowing we will miss
you
And your warm, bright,
kindly sass
And we’ll pray every day
for our
Brave, Bonny Lass
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