Hobbies and Passions series debuts,
Volume 27 Issue 4
myseniorlife.com
page 4
September 2024
Get a sampling of a Camino de Santiago pilgrimage
Baby Steps SENIOR LIFE Jill Blue
Christine Cassidy shares a loving moment with her grandson Vito.
Celebrate grandparents taking charge of raising grandchildren
Camino
BY NICHOLE YUAN It’s 9:30 a.m. on a Wednesday and Grandparents Raising Grandchildren is beginning one of its regularly scheduled support meetings. The grandparents in attendance are here for reassurance, advice and assistance in raising their grandchildren. Initiated in 1994 by Mary Ann Sterling, who raised her grandson, the organization began as a way to provide training and advocacy for grandparents that have become the primary caregiver to their grandchildren. Sept. 8 is set aside as Grandparents Day and grandparents raising their grandchildren deserve to be celebrated. As Grandparents Raising Grandchildren continues to grow, Natasha Walsh, the program’s executive director, has a goal to expand around Florida for more accessibility. In 2023 alone the foundation gained
GRANDS Continued to page 25
SENIOR LIFE Courtesy of Susan Egan
Pilgrims set out on a 30-mile walk from Jacksonville Beach to St. Augustine in Baby Steps Camino, which is a U.S. connection to the Camino de Santiago in Santiago de Compostela, Spain. The local pilgrimage will be Dec. 8 to 10. BY LINDA JUMP
Susie Hagerty was one of 28 pilgrims on the first Baby Steps Camino 30-mile beach walk between Jacksonville Beach and St. Augustine. Last year, she was one of 400, and Dec. 8 to 10 she plans her eighth spiritual pilgrimage to the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche. “The Camino is a wonderful gift you give yourself, a walk of many emotions. I’m looking forward to walking again,” the Jacksonville resident said. Organized by the Order of Malta American Association, Susan Egan said the local walk mimics the Camino de Santiago de Compostela, the Way
SENIOR LIFE Courtesy of Susan Egan
Pilgrims enjoy the camaraderie of the religious walk. of (apostle) St. James. “The walk fuses prayer and physical exertion, solitude and fellowship in pursuit of sanctification
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in the holy season of Advent, whatever your spiritual background is,” Egan said. Since the 800s, pilgrims have walked from various points along historic routes in Spain, Portugal, France and Italy, ending at the majestic cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in northwest Spain, where St. James’ remains are believed to reside. The 500-mile primary route takes pilgrims a month. To earn a Compostela (certificate of completion), a pilgrim must walk 100 kilometers (62 miles) or bicycle 200 kilometers.
CAMINO Continued on page 3
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