ENFIELD: Don McCooeye recently returned home from an unforgettable trek through the jungles of Cambodia, and with it, a deep sense of gratitude and purpose after raising nearly $8,500 in support of Alice House.
Alice House is a Halifax-based shelter supporting women and children escaping intimate-partner violence.
The five-day, 100-kilometre trek was part of the national Royal LePage Shelter Foundation’s “Challenge for Shelter”, held every two years in a new and difficult corner of the world. Past challenges have taken participants across the Sahara Desert and through the mountains of Ecuador.
“This year it was Cambodia and it was everything it was supposed to be,” McCooeye, a realtor with Royal LePage Atlantic, said during an interview in Enfield. “It was hot — 35 to 40 degrees with 100 per cent humidity — and every step made you think about why you were doing it.
“But every time I started to feel tired, I’d remember the stories of people who had to flee their homes in the middle of the night with nothing but the clothes on their back. That kept me going.”
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Each participant in the Shelter Challenge must raise at least $6,000, with 80 per cent of donations staying in their home region to support local shelters.
In McCooeye’s case, this was Alice House, which serves women and children across Nova Scotia.
The remaining 20 per cent funds education and research on preventing gender-based violence, including programs developed through Western University targeting youth awareness in middle school.
“As a dad of two young girls, this really hits home,” he said. “We can’t just talk the talk; we have to walk the walk. My wife and I are very conscious of the world we want our daughters to grow up in.
“If we can do something to make it better for others, we’re going to do it.”
McCooeye surpassed his fundraising goal of $8,000 thanks to what he called the “incredible generosity” of his community.
“People who barely had enough for gas were still giving twenty dollars,” he said.
“It reminded me how strong our communities are Halifax, Fall River, East Hants, and how much people care about helping others.”
He has raised $8,300 and counting.
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The trek itself tested every participant.
Traversing jungles, rice fields, and steep mountain terrain, teams moved an average of 30,000 to 35,000 steps per day, guided by locals with machetes cutting paths through dense vegetation.
“It was humbling,” McCooeye said. “Every blister, every tough climb was worth it. The people and culture of Cambodia stole my heart. Their kindness and warmth were beyond words.”
He recalled one unforgettable moment when the team camped outside a Buddhist temple on a holy day.
“We were woken around 3:30 a.m. by over a hundred people chanting inside the temple,” said McCooeye. “It was beautiful, a poetic reminder of how big and connected our world really is.”
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Less than ten Royal LePage Atlantic agents joined the 130-member national group, but together they raised over $1.6 million, the largest total in the program’s history.
“To be even a tiny part of that is amazing,” said McCooeye.
“It’s a reflection of how much good can happen when people come together for something that matters.”
He said his team, The McCooeye Group, also donates a portion of every real estate transaction to Shelter Canada year-round, ensuring continued support for Alice House.
Though the trek is complete, McCooeye noted that donations are still being accepted until the end of the year.
“Nova Scotia has some of the highest rates of intimate-partner violence in the country. It’s something we can’t ignore,” he said.
“I’m proud to be part of a company like Royal LePage that gives us a way to take real action.”
You can make a donation at: Shelter Foundation
For more info on Alice House N.S. check out their website at: https://alicehouse.ca/
