I am officially registered for the Alabama Trailblaze Challenge 2023! The Alabama Trailblaze Challenge is a 26.3 mile hike to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The opportunity to hike on behalf of children and families who face tough challenges every single day is humbling and an incredible honor. Hiking is my favorite hobby and backpacking is a bucket list dream. I started training in January for the big hike in April. By November, I was backpacking with a friend on the Foothills Trail in South Carolina! The power of a wish or a dream is not lost on me.
Last year, I completed a little over 19 of the 26.3 mile goal on the original hike day. To say I was devastated is an understatement. However, because of the generosity of family and friends, I surpassed the fundraising goal of $2500.00 and together we raised over $4,400.00! That is almost half of the cost of an average wish! THIS YEAR I will take on twice the challenge by raising my fundraising goal to $5,000 AND attempting a second hike of over 28 miles on the Foothills Trail in South Caroline just two weeks later!
Make-A-Wish grants more than 15,000 wishes nationwide every year. That’s a lot, yes. But that’s only 50% of the eligible kids. Every hour of every day, on average, three children are diagnosed with a critical illness. Every one of these kids needs a wish to give them strength and help them heal. I’m fundraising so more deserving kids and their families can know the true happiness, relief and renewal a wish can bring.
These essential wishes are only possible because of supporters like you. Together, we are transforming lives- One wish at a time!
