Those who did it first, did it best.  Think Terry Fox, Rick Hansen and Steve Fonyo.  "Once a novelty guaranteed to pique public interest, the cross-Canada charity walk/ride/hop is now about as interesting as spotting a herd of cows grazing by the side of the highway," vents Michael Platt, writer for the Calgary Sun.  

Are these the jaded comments of a reporter who's seen one too many press releases or a pointed reminder to fundraisers on the value of being unique - at least in terms of garnering media attention?  Perhaps it's a bit of both.  As Platt points out, not only has the cross-country journey been done, it's been done to the point of tedium.  And as with those who climb Mount Everest, the challenge remains, but no one really cares any more if you succeed.

A quick search reveals no shortage of interesting ideas. Consider the four Alberta men who set out to retrace a Second World War adventure, or the fellow who plans to crawl the London Marathon dressed as a snail, all to raise funds for charity.  As Platt puts it, "Sometimes, showing you care about others isn't enough.  You also have to make others care about you."

Read the full article: http://www.calgarysun.com/news/columnists/michael_platt/2011/03/26/17768916.html