Once she saw it with her own eyes, Sarah-Jane Tomlinson’s commitment to the cause was firmly cemented.
Having signed up as a participant in the annual Grind For Kids program, which sees community members make ascents up the popular North Shore trail as a means of raising funds in support of B.C. Children’s Hospital Foundation, she had been invited to tour the Vancouver hospital.
“You come away from that and you say, well how can I not do fundraising,” says the 49-year-old Pemberton Heights resident.
“You just want to help,” she adds.
This year marks Tomlinson’s fourth season on the Grind and her third as part of the Grind for Kids Program. As of Thursday, the hiking enthusiast had logged 1,573 Grinds overall, earning her the record for the woman with the most Grinds ever, as listed on Grouse Mountain’s website.
This season alone, she has logged 481 ascents, also earning her the female course record for most Grinds this season.
“I’m hoping to get 600,” she says referring to her goal for 2016. As well, she’s hoping to raise $10,000 for B.C. Children’s Hospital. So far, she’s raised just over $5,000. If she reaches her goal, that will bring her three-year program participation total to $20,000.
“The fundraising is my biggest drive. That’s kept me going and doing big numbers,” she says.
This year, Tomlinson decided to add an additional focus to her fundraising, both in support of the cause as well as the environment.
“I saw plastic bottles and I started picking those up,” she says.
At first Tomlinson thought she’d pick up one bottle per Grind, however that plan was quickly expanded as she continued to notice additional discarded bottles as well as general litter that she decided to pick up too.
“I started just doing Garbage Grinds as well,” she says. So far Tomlinson has collected more than 500 bottles. She plans to put the funds earned from returning them towards her Grind for Kids fundraising total.
When asked what a typical week is like, Tomlinson, who works part time, says Monday to Thursday, she’ll complete two Grinds, go to work, and then head back to Grouse Mountain to do an additional ascent or two. Friday to Sunday, she’ll complete six back-to-back Grinds daily.
“My other life is pre-April, or pre the season opening, and then after the Grind closes. It’s just solid Grinding in the summer,” she says.
Spending so much time on the trail, Tomlinson says she’s seen it all, from a man hiking the trail with an artificial leg to a four-year-old “cranking up there with his mom and dad.”
“Every day is different. Different things will inspire you. ... It’s just one of those unique places for me,” she says.
To share some of her inspiration, Tomlinson recently launched a Grouse Grind-themed blog at grousegrinder.com.
“People will ask me what do I eat and all that kind of thing, but I didn’t want it all to be about me. So I asked other Grinders if they would let me do a bio on them and (share) their Grind experiences and why they do the Grind, so that’s how it started,” she says.
Recent posts include those highlighting her Grind for Kids participation and Garbage Grinds, which has helped rally a community of supporters.
“There are a few Grinders who will pick up bottles and then I’ll get to the top and they’ll hand me three or four bottles and I’ll have three or four bottles as well,” she says.
Going forward Tomlinson plans to take her fundraising for B.C. Children’s Hospital to the next level.
“I feel like I need to do something bigger,” she says.
What exactly that will look like, only time will tell, but likely no mountain will be too high for her to tackle.
To support Tomlinson’s efforts, visit the Grind for Kids program website, bcchf.ca/events/event-calendar/grind-for-kids, and make a pledge in her name: Sarah-Jane Tomlinson.
