PRESS

Walk begins on high note by Jonathan Krenz
Published Saturday, April 17, 2010

Source: St. Catharines Standard
ST. CATHARINES — Some people will go to great lengths for a good cause.
Jason Meyers and Bri-anne Swan are raising awareness for the MS Society with an 885-km walk along the Bruce Trail.
Jason Meyers and Bri-anne Swan are the creators of He Walks, She Rocks, a fundraising campaign designed to raise awareness and donations for the Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society of Canada.
The campaign involves Meyers’ 885-km walk on the Bruce Trail combined with several concerts by Swan along the way. Their journey begins April 18 in Niagara Falls, with a 7 p. m. concert scheduled in St. Catharines on April 19 at St. Barnabas Anglican Church.
Swan, 27, says she had a mentor in school who suffers from MS, “a mentor who was instrumental in fostering my love for music.
“ I don’t ever remember not being inspired by music.”
Meyers, 34, has a personal connection to the cause of researching MS, a complex neurological disease for which there is no cure.
His mother was diagnosed with the disease in the 1970s and her condition developed into progressive MS five years ago, he explains.
“ It’s difficult,” Meyers says, referring to his mother’s accumulating disability.
“As a son, you want to do all you can.”
Meyers and Swan — who are both residents of Toronto — decided to use their personal interests in walking and music to do all they could for the MS Society. Meyers has completed several long-distance walks in the past, including the 900-km Camino de Santiago pilgrimage in Spain last summer.
The idea for the He Walks, She Rocks fundraiser began to develop after this walk and the two have worked on the project for the past six months.
Swan says she has been singing her entire life. Through a “slow, organic process,” she decided to make music her career.
She has been involved with many concerts for charity, including recent performances in February to raise funds for the Haitian earthquake relief effort. She also made a three-year commitment to War Child Canada, a non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness of children affected by war.
The He Walks, She Rocks fundraiser has collected almost $ 5,000 prior to the walk, Swan says.
“ It’s nice to know there are people who believe in what we’re doing,” she says.
After the St. Catharines concert, Meyers will continue his walk with the goal of reaching Tobermory, the northern terminus of the Bruce Trail, on May 20.
“ In a day, I can walk about 30 kilometres comfortably,” he explains. “ I’ve always been a person suited to experiencing life on foot.”
Meyers says he walks because the lack of distractions and stress from everyday life allows one to become more creative and open to experiences while gaining a connection to nature.
“When I’m out there, I’m more at peace,” he says.
“It’s a real passion of mine to do these walks.”
Swan says she will bring supplies from Toronto to Meyers in between her concerts.
When not sleeping in a tent, Meyers will be staying at various lodgings along the way, often at the homes of strangers who have been inspired by the duo’s efforts.
Family and friends have helped Meyers and Swan as well, through donations and by volunteering their time.
“My mom’s been a great help,” Swan says.
“I’m hoping (the fundraising) is also deepening the relationship between my mom and I,” Meyers says. “It’s been difficult for her.”

CIUT Interview

Listen to Bri-anne talk about HWSR with CIUT’s Brent Miller on the Monday Makeout Session, April 6, 2010!


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