“I feel great, no one is tired, everyone is so happy to be here, we just walked 130 miles for 9 different charities,” said Lucy Quill ’26 upon returning from the Road for Hope.
This upbeat tone may seem out of place from people who just completed a 130-mile trek on foot. While the idea of feeling happy and a lack of fatigue may seem ludicrous to some, such was not the case for Quill and the 45 other Saint Anselm College students who hit the Road for Hope on August 15, 2025. What may seem a daunting and even grueling task for most could certainly not be said for the resilient Anselmians who proved themselves up to the task.
Road for Hope’s origins can be traced back to the brainchild of Seamus Griesbach ’02. In Fall 1998, before his first year at the college, Griesbach chose the scenic route to class, taking a 130-mile stroll from his native Lisbon, Maine. During this first trek, Griesbach was accompanied only by his brother, the last time the Road for Hope saw fewer than 30 walkers.
Since Seamus’ now famous stroll over 27 years ago, the Road for Hope has become deeply ingrained in Saint Anselm tradition. While the walk itself is an invaluable experience, the charities supported through the cause give it that much more purpose. 2025 Road for Hope Charities include Relief & Hope Service of Catholic Charities Maine, Community Concepts, Good Shepherd Food Bank, Saint Charles School, SHARE Fund, Candia Moore School,Kids’ Café, York County Shelter Program, and UpReach Therapeutic Equestrian Center. This year, each walker was tasked with raising $600 each. This goal was reached with flying colors, with the recent fundraising exceeding expectations.
Laura Bowen ’26, a Health Sciences and Sociology major, served as a student leader on the Road for Hope. Bowen emphasized the importance of team bonding during the trek; “Considering you have no phones, no perception of time, and nothing to do besides walk each day, getting close with those around you is inevitable.” The students keep their spirits up with team building activities such as marching chants, raffles, and morning exercises to ensure a healthy bunch of walkers. At the end of each day, the brigade received shelter from local schools and churches in the towns they passed through.
Even for those who do not walk, participation is still encouraged on the Hilltop. Many students and members of the community find it greatly rewarding to provide a warm welcome home for the exhausted but elated students. In the afternoon of August 23, 2025, the trail-tested bunch were greeted with open arms by their friends, family, and plenty of faculty in the very place they left from; the castle on the hill itself, Alumni Hall. Reflecting on the journey, Bowen’s words seemed to speak for the rest of the bunch. “Road for Hope forms a beautiful community, and one that I am forever grateful to be a part of. Although it has been 3 years of participating in this program, I will never have the words to express my gratitude for it. It has given me my best friends, greatest memories, and has changed my college experience."