Thursday, August 15, 2013

Giving back

In addition to my own personal goal of hiking all 2,650 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail, I'm working with the Southern Arizona Aids Foundation (SAAF) to help raise money for awareness, prevention and hopeful cure for this debilitating, fatal disease. Become a part of my research and adventures through following my blog and donating to a great cause! I have set up a web page through First Giving where you can donate per mile of my completion. My adventure starts late April 2014, but I will update my blog with my adventures and research as I plan for this great Journey. Please click HERE
to donate.

A little about me and my reason for supporting SAAF. I grew up in Tucson, Az and have always felt at home in the outdoors. I graduated from the University of Arizona 2004, majoring in Media Arts and minoring in Business and Religion. I backpacked Europe after college and eventually found my new home in Vail, Colorado.

Along with falling in love with the beauty of Colorado, I found myself slipping into the party scene. Though very fun (at times), I wasn't able to take full advantage of this awesome place. I gave up drinking alcohol in May of 2012 and a new world unfolded before me. I suddenly had plenty of time and motivation to achieve my outdoor dreams. Whereas before, I felt limited or restricted on what I could achieve with my life, I now had the ability to dream again. I quickly found myself enrolling in outdoor adventure classes at the local community college. To highlight a few, last winter, I camped for 2 nights and 3 days in a snow cave my friends and I built near Vail Pass, I completed my Wilderness First Responder camping in Moab for 8 days and hope to take Ice climbing and some Avalanche courses this winter... I'm a straight 'A' student!! Quitting drinking was a difficult goal in itself but now I wanted to use it to accomplish more! I spent 110 days on my snowboard last winter, beating my 100 day goal by 10; but still wanted more. 



The PCT was born from me wanting to challenge myself in new ways that I never thought possible. I felt trapped in my old lifestyle and never thought that I could dream this way again. Sometimes we fell stuck, but I have learned that there are always options. Dream alongside me as we better ourselves and ultimately the world and help others who are scared and lost to dream again by donating whatever you can HERE

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