Walking Group volunteers expect every new group to be different. Now and then, a group will be so special that it demonstrates just how meaningful this program can be for all bereaved people.

Group 23 held its first walk in the fall of 1994. From the beginning, we volunteers recognized that something special was happening. The feelings of closeness, concern for each other, and deep understanding were already there on that first Saturday morning. Delivering Hospice Hugs was second nature to the participants. The group was fun to be with. Members shared experiences, supported each other, and became steadfast friends.

By happy coincidence, Group 23 had twenty-three members. Soon, they felt the need of a group name. One of the more senior members remembered her mother using the expression, 23 Skidoo. The name stuck, and soon, all were sporting 23 Skidoo T-shirts.

23 Skidoo needed absolutely no encouragement to continue walking. A leader came forward, telephone numbers were exchanged, and we volunteers just watched the group dynamic evolve.

The group has never looked back. Members have not missed a Saturday walk since first meeting in 1994. They hold annual dinners, including pot-lucks and barbecues, to which they invite the original volunteers.

They support Victoria Hospice in many ways. At each Saturday morning walk, a donation is made, and the collection is presented to Victoria Hospice at the opening ceremonies of Celebrate-A-Life each year. These people are a vocal and visible example of appreciation for the gifts of Hospice care for their respective loved ones. 23 Skidoo members attend the Annual Awareness Walk, sharing a picnic lunch with the latest walking group.

Here are a few stories about this group, but because the threatened punishment is real, I am choosing not to use real names.

I suspect that he was chosen leader because of his unforgettable voice, but maybe it was his dedication to Victoria Hospice that came through. He is also the record keeper of the group. He has records of every walk complete with photos. At one annual dinner, he was presented with a whistle. 23 Skidoo is still trying to deal with that mistake.

One of the more senior women in this group has walked a portion of the Great Wall of China. The experience must have impressed her because she can still recount the precise number of steps with which she ascended several of the Great Wall towers.

Then there is the chap that can fix anything, make anything, and loves doing both, particularly for his new friends.

The group even has a poet in its midst. At each annual dinner, we are treated to a poetic review of the past year.

The resident university professor presents his annual report card on the group members, and he certainly has everyone pegged.

Naturally, one of the group’s members has developed into a stand-up comedian; she now has a wealth of 23 Skiddoo material at her disposal.
Then there is the one group member who is late for every Saturday morning walk; somehow, this person always manages to find the group no matter how far ahead the others have wandered. Maybe this person relies on GIS!

How can one explain the connections that are so apparent in the make-up of 23 Skiddoo? I know from my own experience that words are often not much help. Perhaps there is no definitive explanation, but I do know, from speaking to hundreds of bereaved people, that there is something almost magical about just walking, sharing experiences, and knowing that someone else knows what it means to lose a loved one.

This group has been together for some years, and there have been many changes in the lives of its members. Two have died. Several have found new relationships and marriages outside of the group. While this happy news is a joy to the group, it is interesting to note that new wives and husbands are treated as guests at the various functions.

A few years ago, during the Saturday morning walk, two rather senior and shy folks announced that they had become a couple. They wanted 23 Skiddoo to hear the affirmation of love that they shared and proudly displayed their rings. Can you imagine the shared words of joy, the Hospice Hugs, the tears, and the expressed wonder at the goodness of life after loss?

Claire, I, and our volunteer friends understand that we have been privileged to be a part of this remarkable group happening. What does the future hold for 23 Skiddoo? The only thing I know, for sure, is that there will always be enough love to go around.

It is one of the most beautiful compensations of this life that no one can sincerely try to help another without helping himself.
Charles Warner