If walking is your thing and helping your fellow man runs a close second, Penticton was a pretty great place to be Sunday morning.

Over at the Skaha Lake waterfront, the MS Walk attracted a hundred or so folks to join the fight against multiple sclerosis. Meanwhile, almost simultaneously at the other end of town, the Walk to Make Cystic Fibrosis History ambled along the walkway between Okanagan Lake Park and the SS Sicamous.

Photo Credit: NowMedia

Photo Credit: NowMedia

The only issue? It was virtually impossible to participate in both events.

Jodie Conti, the Okanagan Chapter president of Cystic Fibrosis Canada, took time from her return trip to the old sternwheeler to fill us in on the third annual Walk to Make Cystic Fibrosis History.

"This is the third year we've done the walk here in Penticton, and it's the 15th anniversary of the walk for CF Canada. This is a walk that's all over Canada today."

Photo Credit: NowMediaJodie Conti with son Tyson announcing raffle prize winners

It was a familial experience with CF that convinced Conti to get involved.

"My son Lucas is ten, and he has CF. That's the biggest reason I decided to start this event here in Penticton. It's a lonely disease, and it's a quiet disease. Not many people know how serious it is."

Conti was happy with the turnout – she estimated 120 participants – and the support she'd received for the event. "We have a barbecue, a rock-climbing wall, and a bunch of really great raffle prizes. Okanagan PhotoStar donated a photo booth, which is amazing, and IGA Penticton donated the food for our barbecue. Colin at IGA is wonderful."

Photo Credit: NowMedia

Photo Credit: NowMedia

One of the volunteers and walkers was Sherrie Adams, who let us know about a golf tournament she's set up for June 26th at Sumac Ridge Golf and Country Club in Summerland.

"It's $99 for nine holes of golf and a full dinner," she said, "and all the proceeds will go to Cystic Fibrosis Canada."

The arrangements have yet to be finalized, but in the meantime, interested parties can contact Adams at 780-284-4222 or via email at imcsherri@gmail.com.

After the walk, if you weren't shuffling your kids through the fire truck the Penticton Fire Department brought to the event, the barbecue was the place to be. And yes, the hot dogs were just great.

Photo Credit: NowMedia

Photo Credit: NowMedia

"We were asked to be a part of this," said Jason Stuart with the Summerland Kinsmen. "We're a part of this event every year, running the barbecue, and we have a good time doing it."

"We do a lot of fundraising events, and we're tied with Cystic Fibrosis pretty closely. So we donate a lot of volunteer hours to raise funds in the community."

Later, a woman named Lindsey Knorr won one of the event's many gift baskets. It was a heck of a good gift basket, and Knorr's smile was indicative of the many happy faces we saw at two great charitable walks on this Sunday morning.

Photo Credit: NowMedia

Photo Credit: NowMedia

Photo Credit: NowMedia

Photo Credit: NowMedia