A Lacombe resident recently returned from a 10-day trek through the Sahara desert as part of the Royal Lepage Shelter Foundation's fundraising efforts.

Lisa Suarez, a real estate agent with Royal LePage, was chosen as one of 120 agents who participated in this year's Foundation fundraising project. 

Each participant is required to raise a minimum of $5,000 for the Foundation, and also covers their own costs of transportation and equipment. 

Suarez surpassed that minimum goal and has raised $8,640, which will be donated to the Lacombe Victim Services unit. 

"I loved the challenge. I love to hike, and it was cool for me to be able to combine that with another passion of mine, which is raising money for the Shelter Foundation," she said. 

"One of the reasons I'm so passionate about this foundation and this charity is because when I was policing in Lacombe and in Regina, I came across so many cases of domestic violence. Of course, you deal with it in that business, but it always tugs at your heartstrings. It's a passion of mine to support domestic violence programs and anything we can do to help out definitely makes me happy."

Suarez added that as a child, her mother, sister and herself all lived in a women's shelter after her parents had separated. 

She said she's thankful to have had access to a program like that, and it made a hugely positive impact on her circumstances, so she is glad to be able to support that for others in need. 

The ten-day trip included a two-day drive from Marrakesh over the Atlas mountains. From there, groups of 30 members were sent out in waves as they began to make their way through sand dunes, volcanic rock, dry riverbeds. 

"The one thing that hit me the most that I wasn't expecting was the comradery that we had amongst our group," Suarez said.

"When people were struggling and we all reached out where we could to help with equipment or encouragement. When you've finished those ten days together, and you lifted each other up or ten days, it's hard to part.," she said, adding that her group remains close via instant messaging and has maintained the bond they created. 

Perhaps the most rewarding piece of the whole trip for Suarez was being able to hear the real stories of people whose lives had been affected by domestic violence and changed through the impact of the Shelter Foundation.

Each day as the group took a rest during the hottest hours of mid-day, a letter was read out from one of these survivors.

"It got very quiet as we would sit together at lunchtime and hear the stories of those victims of domestic violence. It really re-inforced why we were there. I got to read one of those letters during the lunch hour and it was really special to be able to do that," she said.

Suarez explained the overall experience was an overwhelming and special one that she would cherish for a long time to come.