The starting point was the new Donkey Sanctuary at Bringamosa, which also doubled as the finish. The hill-studded route had a watering point halfway.
Everyone enjoyed not only a great walk, but also a very safe one as donkeys Diva and Igor, the Aruban police force and the local Red Cross took care of that department. At the finish wonderful, enthusiastic comments could be heard from the participants, who were received in the brand-new Visitors’ Center at the Sanctuary and who were treated to fruit and nuts (courtesy of SuperFood and Leon Trading). As most athletes stayed quite a long while afterwards, they went home at sunset.
As a surprise all participants of this year’s 20th anniversary walk received a super Stylos ballpoint, with the text `Donkey Sanctuary Aruba 1997 – 2017’. Twenty years ago a group of volunteers started to catch and house the many roaming donkeys on the island. And, as they say: the rest is history.
Nowadays the Donkey Sanctuary has become one of the best-known and most-loved tourist attractions with its 130 donkeys. The housing and feeding costs are covered by donations and fundraising activities, such as this Walk, which has generated AWG. 2.270,-- ($1273.76 USD) (ten florins $5.61 USD per person).
This is such a great initiative: giving everyone a chance to enjoy a nature walk while supporting the Donkey Sanctuary at the same time!