Despite the erratic stormy weather that has affected most of southern Ontario and surrounding provinces this summer, those who turned out to welcome wheelchair marathoners Charlie Cetinski, Les McLaughlin, Chuck Mealing and Harvey Uppal were surprised when they announced that throughout their cross-country trek, they've only had to endure two days of rainy weather.

"We had really good weather; every day there was a bit of clouds then it was sunny," said Cetinski.

Passing through Flamborough last Friday (August 1), the wheelchair marathoners and their crew received a warm welcome from community residents. Various activities and gatherings were scheduled for the Civic Holiday weekend, benefiting the local athletes' Canadian adventure and organization, Wheel to Walk Canada.

But the tale of their journey so far was the focal point of their homecoming.

Everyday, explained Cetinski, the men have had the opportunity to meet with individuals who are wheelchair bound as a result of an injury. It is the stories of the people they meet along the way that keep the four athletes going.

The Wheel to Walk goal is to raise $10 million to help fund research that will one day find a cure for spinal cord injuries.

Following a decade of the Golden Horseshoe Marathon, which puts the four athletes on the road from Niagara Falls to Toronto for five days each year, the athletes decided to take things up a notch for the 10th anniversary of the event.

Their cross-country trek started off in British Columbia on June 10. Since then, the marathoners have hand-cycled an average of 100 kilometres each day raising awareness about the groundbreaking spinal cord research taking place at McMaster Hospital, as well as giving hope to those who cannot walk.

"We are portraying ourselves as messengers," said Cetinski. "We don't want people to focus on us at all. Focus on the bigger picture. Take a look at what is happening at McMaster (Hospital)...we want to stay (ahead of all the other researchers) and finish it off as quick as possible so we can be the first in the world to (find a cure)."

Their undertaking has drummed up support from various communities across the nation. The athletes' goal is for every Canadian to donate just 30 cents each.

In Golden, British Columbia, the municipal council was so committed to the cause that council members pledged to donate to the Wheel to Walk organization 30 cents on behalf of each of the municipality's residents.

Although no fundraising amount has been made available to date, Cetinski believes that eventually the organization will reach its goal.

"I don't think we'll be in Newfoundland with a $ 10 million cheque, but I think it will happen eventually."

The breakthrough medical research into successfully regenerating nerves in the chronically injured spinal cords of humans is led by Drs. Michel Rathbone and Shucui Jiang. Their studies have been successfully tested on rats. However, to further their research, the medical team hopes to explore its findings by way of clinical trials on humans.

Although the men have faced some challenges on their journey, the growing support from people across Canada has given Cetinski, McLaughlin, Mealing and Uppal the push they need to keep on going.

Following their short stop in Flamborough, the men were slated to cycle to Niagara Falls on Monday and then to Toronto City Hall on Tuesday. Their final stop will be in Newfoundland, where they expect to finish their cross-country trek in September.

Further information on the Wheel to Walk journey is available online at www.wheelto walkcanada.org.

Donations can be made at any branch of TD Canada Trust, by cheque payable to Wheel to Walk Canada, PO Box 699, Waterdown, ON, L0R 2H0 or on the Wheel To Walk Canada website.