Why I Climb for WWF: Motivated to protect precious spaces

Wendy Ho has been an integral volunteer for WWF for the past two years, and a keen supporter for even longer. This Saturday, she’s lacing up her running shoes to take part in the Canada Life CN Tower climb for the second time!

Wendy climbing up Ek Balam © Wendy Ho
Wendy climbing up Ek Balam © Wendy Ho

Wendy and her husband got married in Mexico earlier this month, they had an unusual post-wedding experience – instead of relaxing the day after the wedding, they did an ambitious hike up Ek Balam, a Mayan ruins site!
The climb up Ek Balam’s 107 steps may not sound like a big feat compared to 1776 steps of the CN Tower, but these were 107 very steep steps! Most of the climb, Wendy was using her hands to pull herself up the cobblestone steps, with no railings! But the journey to the top was worth it: “The view was amazing, all you could see was forests for miles. It made me realize how precious spaces like this are, and how important it is to preserve them. That memory makes for fantastic motivation for the climb”.
Wendy has fond memories of her childhood in Hong Kong, visiting a conservation area there that is managed by WWF Hong Kong. Years later, when the opportunity came up to volunteer for WWF-Canada, Wendy jumped at the chance. For the past two years, Wendy’s been an integral volunteer, working with various teams, including helping out with our CN Tower climb. Weeks ago, Wendy was chatting with a fellow volunteer, Jennifer Chang, who was asking about the physical challenge of the climb. “I had to admit to Jennifer – it’s a pretty physically daunting task. We agreed however, to climb together, which makes the climb so much for enjoyable. Plus, knowing you’re climbing with a friend motivates your training so much more!”
We’ll see you at the top, Wendy and Jennifer!