LUNENBURG — Over 23 days this month a 21-year-old Nova Scotian put one foot in front of the other from one end of the province to the other, finishing an approximately 1,000-kilometre run to raise money and awareness for Feed Nova Scotia.
Route and reception
The cross-province effort began at the Cape North Lighthouse in Saint Margaret Village on Cape Breton and finished at Baccaro Point Lighthouse in East Baccaro on the South Shore. Along the way, the runner, identified as Darcy Eygun, passed through communities large and small and drew support from volunteers, strangers and elected officials.
Members of Parliament joined parts of the route: Kings–Hants MP Kody Blois ran with Eygun at the Shubenacadie line into East Hants, and Sackville–Bedford–Preston MP Braeden Clark met Eygun at a Tim Hortons in Enfield. Other residents came out to offer water, encouragement or donations as the runner passed through their communities.
Purpose and fundraising
Eygun said the run was organised to support Feed Nova Scotia and spotlight food insecurity, which many Nova Scotians face amid rising grocery prices. The fundraiser has raised about $11,000 to date, and will remain open until Aug. 31.
“This is a fundraiser first and foremost,”
That focus on charity framed the physical challenge, organisers and participants said, as Eygun met people along the route who shared personal accounts of struggling to put food on the table.
Local impact and larger context
Feed Nova Scotia is the province’s largest hunger relief charity and operates a network of food banks and community food programs. While the run itself is a single event, community members and elected officials signalled the wider concern: grocery inflation and persistent food insecurity are ongoing challenges for many households in Atlantic Canada.
Organised runs and walkathons have become a visible way for charities to mobilize public attention and donations. In this case, the coast-to-coast nature of the route drew regional attention and created multiple opportunities for media coverage and local involvement across municipal boundaries.
How to support
The public can still donate to Eygun’s campaign for Feed Nova Scotia online; the fundraiser remains open through the end of the month. Alongside direct donations, the run prompted offers of water and encouragement from residents — small gestures that organisers said helped sustain the runner through long stretches between towns.
- Distance: ~1,000 km
- Duration: 23 days
- Funds raised so far: ~$11,000
- Fundraiser closing date: Aug. 31
| Start | Finish | Approx. distance | Days | Funds to date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cape North Lighthouse, Saint Margaret Village | Baccaro Point Lighthouse, East Baccaro | 1,000 km | 23 | $11,000 |
Community response
Organisers said the most striking aspect of the trek was not the mileage but the number of people who came forward to share their experiences with food insecurity or simply to lend a hand. Those encounters were a reminder to Eygun and others that the issue the event seeks to address is not abstract.
Local MPs who joined parts of the run used the occasion to meet constituents and highlight the charity’s work. While MPs’ participation does not change policy, their presence amplified attention on the fundraiser and the provincewide conversation about the cost of living.
As the campaign moves toward its closing date, organisers hope the public will continue to support Feed Nova Scotia through donations — and that the run’s visibility will encourage long-term attention to food security across the province.
For those wishing to contribute, the fundraiser remains online through Aug. 31; organisers said their immediate goal is to grow the current total substantially before then.
