What Keeps Me Moving On

Hiking the Smokies 900 is completed but my fundraising goals are not. I set an astronomically high bar of raising $20,000 for outdoor programs for Girl Scouts in North Carolina. Why so high? It has been my observation that often females sell themselves short, think minimally and dream small when setting goals. I wanted to send a message to girls and to the rest of the world that I believe they are so important that really no dream is too big for them.

So I set a goal of $20,000 and watched the financial crisis grow and the country's economy go down, down, down. But have you all noticed what I have noticed? People are still giving to charities. Hearts are still open to the needs of others. I will continue to be committed to outdoor programs for girls. Outdoor experiences provide a building block that significantly shapes the future adult as a good steward, an advocate and a protector of the natural world. A great outdoor experience can set a pattern of physical fitness and mental health for a lifetime. Just one week of summer camp has an indelible impact. Do you remember your summer camp experience?

As of this writing, contributions are about $3,900. If you have been following this blog and waiting to see if I would cross the finish line - I did! Please consider making a contribution today. If you made a contribution early on, it's okay to make another one! In the coming months I will report on how the funds are being used. Come on, don't just read about it - be a part of it! Below is an excerpt from an article in LEADER Magazine, April 1968, that I and other Girl Scout volunteers have heard probably hundreds of times and which continues to chill and inspire me:  

WHAT IS A GIRL? She is the person who is going to carry on what you have started in this world. She is going to sit where you are sitting and, when you are gone, attend to those things which you think are so important... She is going to have a voice in your churches, your schools, your Girl Scout activities, universities and corporations. She is going to be in charge of your woods and your forests and your natural resources. How she pursues a full and rewarding life depends on the direction she is learning now...All your work is going to be judged, praised and condemned by her. Her future is in your hands, but your reputation and your future are also in her hands. So...it is well to pay her some attention and give her some of your time.