About to turn 70, Loretta Slepikas planned a pilgrimage in Spain to walk 240 miles of the Camino de Santiago, an ancient pilgrimage that is over a thousand years old. “It seemed like a perfect time to reflect on my life,” says Slepikas. “I love to walk, and I love solitude, so the pilgrimage seemed to fit someone like me,” she adds.

Slepikas will talk about her trek and present slides and share stories from her journey at an event at the Sunriver Library on September 13 at 10:30 a.m. She will bring the pack she carried filled with the items from her walk and share practical tips for anyone looking to take a pilgrimage. The Camino has many beginning places, the most popular of which is southern France. Slepikas began her trek in Leon, Spain, and walked 250 miles to the Cathedral de Santiago, where the body of St. James the Apostle is supposedly buried.

Though there are many pilgrimages and treks available to people around the world, Slepikas chose the Camino de Santiago in no small part because it’s a region for which she has a special affinity. “I love Spain and know a little Spanish,” she says, “so the trek was also an opportunity for me to be in Spain.”

For more information about this or other library programs, please visit the library website at www.deschuteslibrary.org. People with disabilities needing accommodations (alternative formats, seating or auxiliary aides) should contact Tina at 541-312-1034.