Ravensthorpe resident, business owner and Shire of Ravensthorpe staff member Tony Keen is about to embark on his 5th annual walk from Ravensthorpe to Hopetoun in honour of his father.
Bill Keen passed away in 2018 and each year since then Tony has set out on a walk to raise funds for Cancer Council WA in his dad’s memory. The walk along the Hopetoun-Ravensthorpe Road normally takes him around ten hours and finishes up at the Hopetoun groyne.
“Dad loved fishing, so that’s a special spot to end the walk,” he said.
“We scattered some of his ashes there, so it is nice for me to walk there each year.”
The ten hour hike each year can be physically demanding, but with two jobs this year keeping him on his feet all day, Tony thinks he is ready for the challenge.
“The first 25-30 kilometers will be fine, they always are. After that you hit a wall and it can be tough physically and mentally,” he said.
“As soon as I see the road sign saying five kilometers to Hopetoun, I know I’ll feel so much better and then seeing the ocean will give me another boost.”
Watch out for Tony on the road
Tony departs on his 2023 Walk For Dad from Ravensthorpe on Tuesday 7 November at around 06:30am. He will walk along the Hopetoun- Ravensthorpe Road wearing high-vis and followed by a support vehicle.
If you would like to support Tony on his walk and donate to the Cancer Council, you can drop into Keen’s Mini Mart in Ravensthorpe to pick up a sponsorship form.
“I know not everyone can afford to donate, so honestly even just a beep and a wave on the day as you drive past would make me happy,” he said.