by MATTHEW HAYS

Greg Byng says he’s thrilled with the results of Montreal’s first annual hiking fundraising event, le Grand circuit des Laurentides (or Trek in the Laurentians). When the Montreal-based marketing consultant set about to launch the idea of marrying his love of the outdoors with his concern about AIDS and HIV in April, he wasn’t entirely sure it would fly.

“I had high hopes,” says Byng. “But the first time you ever do something in a city, it’s a concern.” Byng’s plan for the hike, which takes place this weekend, was fairly basic: take the model of fundraising bike rides that had been built up in other North American cities, and apply it here. But that, as Byng knows only too well, is itself rife with problems and questions. AIDS fundraising rides in the U.S. have become hugely controversial, with critics arguing that too much money has gone to overhead for the often-private entrepreneurs running things, with not enough of the money ending up in AIDS organization coffers.

Byng says his goal was always to “figure out what all the negatives of the AIDS rides were and remove them.” Among other things, Byng wanted to “take away as much of the logistical costs of events as possible. If you have a ride in Alaska, that’s going to be beautiful, but it’s going to cost participants to get there. Since this hike goes to the Laurentians, people can make it. As well, if people don’t own bicycles, the march allows them to take part. On bicycles, too, you can’t talk to one another safely, you’re supposed to be riding single file. But with hiking, the group can actually talk to one another. I wanted this to be accessible to as many as possible. Universal access was always a priority.”

The hike, which begins this Friday at 7 a.m. from Parc L’Espoir in the Village, goes until Sunday afternoon. Approximately 20 hikers have signed up, and their task was to raise $1,500 each to donate to the cause. Byng says the team of volunteers used any and every way to chip in, from car washes to impromptu cabarets held at Village restaurants. Many have already surpassed that amount and have raised over and above their quota.

Byng reports the bulk of the fundraising, which he estimates to be at about $27,000, will be donated to local AIDS group Comité des personnes atteintes du VIH du Québec (CPAVIH). Logistical costs have been kept to a few thousand, which Byng says have been covered by corporate donations. “We’ve also managed to get some prizes donated, so the people who do collect more than $1,500 will be eligible for a free hotel weekend package in New York or Toronto,” he says. “It’s an added incentive.

“I’d like to aim for $60,000 for next year and then $100,000 in the event’s third. I’d like to keep building on our success.”

Those who wish to cheer on the fundraising hikers can go to Parc l’Espoir this Friday, Aug. 15 at 7am. More donations are always welcome. Info: www.legrandcircuit.org