Final Update
This weekend was pretty amazing! Approximately 100 hikers took on the 3rd of 3 Trailblaze Challenge Hikes on the PCT up in Big Bear. It was a very long hike - logged on my AllTrails as actually 29.25 miles. We started on the trail at 4:00am and I came in to the Finish at 6:58pm.
I had a few challenges during the hike, but nothing to match what our Wish Kids go through every day.
We are so thankful to all who supported us with donations and encouragement and especially thankful for the hike leaders. They are truly amazing human beings who share their vast knowledge and help us, not only with this big challenge, but grow in our ability to get out and enjoy hiking always. The training hikes really gave me a way to decompress each weekend and restore my energy after the challenges of teaching.
As a whole group, the 3 weekends of Trailblazers raised a record setting $860,000 and donations are still coming in till July 10th. There are about 300 kids in San Diego waiting for a wish.
Thank you to everyone who supported us throughout this journey. You are making a big difference in the lives of many children.
Laurie Anastasio, Trailblazer
Tomorrow morning, our team will head up to Big Bear to complete our challenge! Saturday morning we will head out at 4:00am (at the trail at 4:00, meaning getting on the shuttle at 3:30am) to start out. We continue to be so thankful for all of the support and are thrilled that we have raised over $14,000 as a team to be able to help grant wishes!
THANK YOU ALL!
Hike #13 Noble Canyon complete! We hiked 21.2 miles near Mount Laguna in the Cleveland National Forest. It was a beautiful hike along streams with about 3100 feet of elevation gain. This was our longest training hike and the final organized long hike before the big day. Thank you to everyone who has been supporting us! We are so proud to be able to help support granting wishes for critically ill kids. #forthekids
Update 2/24/24: Training Hike #4 Complete!
I am so impressed by the organization and enthusiasm from all of the volunteers, hike leaders, staff, and trailblazers as we train for this event. Every hike begins with trail and safety info and then a 'Mission Moment' so we can think about why we are doing this throughout the hike. This mission moment inspires me to keep going as the training hikes get longer and hills gets steeper. We are doing this #forthekids
1/22/24 The Beginning:
I am excited to participate in my first Trailblaze Challenge hike to raise awareness and money for kids with critical illnesses waiting for a special wish to be granted.
In addition to the physical challenge of hiking 28 miles in one day on the Pacific Crest Trail, I have committed myself to raising the funds necessary for Make-A-Wish to grant the one true wish for each eligible child with a critical illness. With your help, it’s possible.
This cause speaks to my heart because it directly impacts children and their families. Did you know that 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.
“When children are battling a critical illness, so much of normal childhood is taken away from them — it is exhausting, both emotionally and physically. A wish is something that gives kids the opportunity to look outside their illness — it restores a sense of childhood back to the child and normalcy back to the family.” (https://wish.org/more-than-medicine)
These essential wishes are only possible because of supporters like you. Together, we are transforming lives- One wish at a time
With your help, it’s possible. THANK YOU!!!
Will you help me support Make-A-Wish by donating today?
