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P.O. Box 742 Waynesville, NC 28786 (828) 734-0355
A backpacking and adventure ministry. |
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September 16, 2008: Whoa, there, Fall Event 2! Alright, here it is, the news some of you are dreading: Fall Event 2 is now full. But here's some good news: (1) You can email me (mary@wtrail.com) to get on the waiting list, and (2) there is still room on Events 1 and 3 (read below about those events).
Much love,
September 10, 2008: Sad Website Sorry the website was down for a day or so - I think I've got things resolved, but if you notice anything wrong please let me know so I can fix it. I'm getting a lot of Fall Event registration in the mail today since today is the deadline for price increases! If you'd like to sneak in, you can pay online and save $10. Also - these events typically fill, so even if you'll miss the deadline you want to register soon. Don't make me turn you away, I hate doing that!
Much love,
September 3, 2008: Fall Events & New Bathhouse Hello, friends! Sorry it's been so long since the last update. Time slips by fast this time of year! Hard to believe, for example, that our Fall Events will begin this month. I'm really excited about our fall season! We have three great events planned.
You'll notice that the prices increase soon (September 10th), so register now to save some cash! Complete the form and then send it in with a check or pay online. Meanwhile, our fundraising efforts are moving forward with our Corporate Sponsorship efforts and individual donors. We're hoping to build that bathhouse (and if you've been to the Property recently, you know how much we need a new one!). If you'd like to contribute, any amount will help us get to our bigger goal. You can make a one-time or recurring donation here. Hope to see YOU at the Property this Fall!
Much love,
August 6, 2008: More pics as Summer ends I had the pleasure of posting some more pictures today... these are from Event 5. Yes, I know, not all groups have their pictures up. A few more should be forthcoming, but sometimes the Appalachian Trail likes to eat disposable cameras - a few groups will be lacking pictures. Sorry about that! The Staff closed up the Wilderness Trail Property yesterday. A huge THANK YOU for all their hard work (along with the Junior Staff and volunteers who helped them)... cleaning and organizing the Property after a Summer is a big job. And while I'm at it... a huge THANK YOU for everything the Staff did this summer. Those of you who hiked know that it was a particularly great summer, and that's a direct result of our servant-minded, Christ-centered Staff. I would like to also pause to sing the praises of Dan Baker and Kara Sither in particular. As the Summer Director and Assistant Summer Director, Dan and Kara provided the kind of leadership that gave the Executive Director not a single worry (and I'm a worrier) about our 2008 Summer Events. In fact, I slept peacefully all summer knowing that high-quality well-organized programming was going on. I'm stoked about the hard work that all our Staff put in, as well as all the fun "playing in the rain" that took place. 2008 is truly great! (Yes, that rhyme was intentional.) Our Fall Events will begin at the end of September, open to ages 5 and up and ranging from day hikes to 3-day overnight trips. These events typically fill, so you'd be wise to register now!
Much love,
July 30, 2008: Pictures are up Pictures from Event 2, 3, and 4 have just been posted. Although some of the disposable cameras were tragically lost on trail, we've got a great batch of pictures for you to peruse. Enjoy! Much love, Mary
July 21, 2008: Event 4 News Flash! Greetings from Wilderness Trail’s Summer Event 4! Since the Staff returned from their 3-day “Mystery Trip” hiatus on Wednesday evening the Property has been abuzz with the energy and excitement of our largest event of the summer. On Thursday, a stellar bunch of Junior Staff arrived to prepare their hearts, minds, and servant leadership teams for the week ahead. With the Sweeper’s Place glistening with cleanliness and a freshly mowed lawn – thanks to our dear neighbor Cobb – we positioned ourselves strategically on the porch for the “Meet & Greet” of a lifetime. On Friday the eighteenth of July, Wilderness Trail welcomed 120 hikers from Pensacola, FL, Asheville, NC, Jacksonville, FL, High Point, NC, Largo, FL, St. Petersburg, FL, and Bryson City, NC. Including hikers, Junior Staff, Staff, and faithful volunteers, our worship overflowed the carpet space and shook the rafters, our pre-dinner circle of hands hugged the walls, and our excitement for the journey ahead swelled through group games, a Broadway-worthy, purple-fighting display from the Security Team, singing and dancing to glorify God, an autobiographical visit from Moses, and our first meetings in our hiking groups. Beneath a bright summer moon, 151 heads lay gently down to rest, swooned to dreamland by crickets and croaking critters and a distant barking dog. After a peaceful night on the mountainside, we woke to a glorious morning and an equally glorious breakfast to start retreat day two in style. Our ten hiking groups underwent transformational life experiences on the Group Building Course and Trail Preparations to emerge in the evening through skits and flag presentations that claimed new-found group identities that shall forever be known as:
Following a delectable ham dinner (cornbread!) and the much celebrated “Quiete’s Delight,” an éclair recipe from our late neighbor down the hill, we enjoyed the plod to the peak of Wilderness Trail’s Property to share the Lord’s Supper and worship at our outdoor chapel. The silhouetted mountain scene before us would become our beauty-filled surroundings the next morning as ten hiking groups were dropped at trailheads between Damascus and Marion. We’re thrilled this week to have such adventurous and enthusiastic hikers exploring God’s creation, loving and serving one another along the journey, sharing meals and fellowship together, and gathering at campfires each night to rejoice in God’s presence in our midst by surrendering “Little Foxes” and praising God for “Holy Ground.” We invite you to view each hiking group’s photo with their group flag here and stay attuned to our photo album for upcoming posts. We apologize for the delay in getting Event 2 and Event 3’s pictures online… we do hope that they’ll be available for your viewing pleasure soon! Shalom, Dan
July 6, 2008: Event 2 from Zach Hall Hey Team! Greetings from the Wilderness Trail Staff to one and to all!!! We would like to thank all who made Event 2 so great. Though it was a wet week, with rain aplenty to beautify God’s glorious creation, we had an amazing week of mountain climbing, good trail foods, and campfires. We closed Event 2 strong with a full house and a copious amount of entertaining skits. Now, all have gathered their “Holy Grounds” and taken them home to share with family, friends and maybe a stranger or two. As the Property grew suddenly quiet, the Staff enjoyed a restful day-off and celebrated America’s birthday in style. Now, with rejuvenated bodies and spirits the Team is eager to get back on the trail and can’t wait to see YOU at the Property. So get your rock’n chairs ready and your boots tied tight, because Event 3 here we come! -Guest Editor Zachary Hall
July 2, 2008: Fall 2008 Dates Posted Greeting, WT Gang! Just wanted to let you know that the Fall 2008 Dates are up. Mark your calendars!
Much love,
June 30, 2008: Event 1 closing and Event 2 beginning Hello friends! Greetings from the Wilderness Trail Property! It’s been an exciting few days in our corner of Virginia as Event 1 Hiking Groups returned to the Property and headed towards home, the Staff and Junior Staff rested and reset and nearly 80 hikers arrived for Event 2. On Sunday, June 22 our 9 hiking groups were welcomed back to the Property by Deputy Dortch at equipment check-in, then by hot showers and hot cinnamon buns. Great stories of fun, fellowship, and enjoyment of God’s beauty resounded from each group as the celebratory mood swelled throughout the day. After an All-American hamburger lunch and receiving Summer 2008 WT T-Shirts and Event Photos, many homerun dreamers climbed the hill to Wilderness Trail’s Historic Weaver Field (called by some the most prestigious Wiffle Ball diamond east of the Mississippi River) for a riveting double-header between the Homies and the Vistors. The Vistors claimed victory in the first game and squeaked out another in the second, holding off a ferocious Homies’ rally. After a laughter-filled hour of group skits we closed the retreat with singing, dancing, and praising God for encountering us on Holy Ground during our journeys. An evening rain shower tapered off just in time for a weary but winsome crowd to meander down to the shelters for some sleep before traveling home in the morning. A huge thank you to all our Event 1 hikers, base camp participants, and Junior Staff for an energetic, fun-filled, and God-centered start to the summer! You can see pictures from all our hiking groups by clicking here. After a good clean of the Property and a restful afternoon, the Staff and Junior Staff ventured to Abingdon to enjoy a fried chicken picnic and an evening at the Moonlite Drive In Theater. Preparations for Event 2 began on Tuesday and included a cookout, wiffle ball game, and fellowship at the Laurel Valley Community Center that constituted a trip down memory lane to the home of Wilderness Trail meals, skits, and Security Team reports in the days before our lodge, The Sweeper’s Place, and the kitchen options that we now enjoy. By lunch on Wednesday the servant leadership for Event 2 were rejuvenated and ready (and even smelling good!) to meet and greet the eight hiking groups that arrived that afternoon. On Wednesday afternoon the sound of honking horns and cheering welcomes meant the beginning of Event 2 as North Carolinians from Shelby, Fallston, Waynesville, Crossnore, Thomasville, and Winston-Salem joined a friend from Enterprise, FL and found their way to their hiking groups for the week. After dinner, an epic “Rock, Paper, Scissors” war on the lawn, and a WT Security Team safety presentation, we kicked off a boisterous worship session with “Buckshot” Brock leading on guitar, Sarah Jane offering harmonious vocals, MJ as Dance Girl Extraordinaire providing locomotive praise options, and our overhead expert, DJAT keeping the words with the music. First meetings broken out into hiking groups wrapped up the evening as hikers drifted off in the shelters to dream dreamy dreams of group skits, group flags, and adventures that awaited them on the Group Building Course on Thursday. We awoke to clear skies and sunshine and a great day of Trail Preparations. By dinner time our hiking groups had ceased to be known as the group of their assigned Hiking Staff and wrote themselves into Wilderness Trail history as:
You can see pictures of each hiking group and their flag here. A stellar ham dinner preceded an evening of worship that concluded at our outdoor Chapel where we celebrated the Lord’s Supper together, remembering God’s presence with us in that moment and for the journey to come. Early Friday morning the ringing bell and motivational music blasting from the porch of Mustang Alley signaled the beginning of four and a half days of hiking to come and groups enjoyed breakfast at the Lodge before taking to the trailheads. Many thanks to Mary, Sherry, Jon, Ronnie, and Mary Sue for their help during the opening retreat and with dropping off groups. We’re excited for a gorgeous week in the wilderness! Check back soon for more updates!
Ha boom boom, Dan Baker
June 23, 2008: Share your input As I type, the Summer Staff are... probably sleeping. But okay, it's a well-deserved rest! Event 1 finished up strong yesterday morning, and then the Staff and Junior Staff spent several hours giving the whole Property a good clean. Today the Staff (and some Junior Staff) are enjoying a quiet morning at the Property to catch up on some sleep and get prepared for Event 2. This afternoon the new Junior Staff will arrive for their day of training and preparation. For those of you who have already experienced Summer 2008, check out our Summer 2008 Survey. You'll be able to share your thoughts about what went well and how we can improve our Summer Events. Your input helps us make changes both for next week and next year. We appreciate it! Tomorrow another round of hikers will arrive - please pray for safe travels and a Christ-centered start to their week!
Much love,
June 20, 2008: Event 1 off to a great start Hello Friends! Summer 2008 at Wilderness Trail has officially begun! On Monday over 90 hikers rolled up the driveway to the Property already bursting with energy for the journey ahead. After a welcome to the Property, a delicious meal, some group games, and a visit from the Wilderness Trail Security Team (our very own purple fighting force) we worshipped with singing, shouting, and dancing and even had a visit from Moses who told us a bit about his life. We met for the first time in our hiking groups before heading to the shelters to rest up for a big day of Group Building and Trail Preparations ahead. Following a peaceful night filled with rain showers we awoke to a bright, warm sun accompanied by cool mountain air to enjoy a piping hot country-style breakfast. The Security Team reported the discovery of a love note and justice was served thanks to our willing scapegoat, Brian, who accepted a dousing from the squirt guns. We then heard a story from Kara about encountering God in unexpected “Holy Grounds” and set off for the low ropes Group Building Course and to make ready for hitting the trail on Wednesday. With everyone’s trail foods and equipment all set and packs packed, we gathered in the Lodge where each hiking group revealed their group name and group flag through entertaining skits. The nine hiking groups are now known as: “East Coast Hoopers” (Swannanoa, NC and Dunedin, FL), “The Butt Kicking Ninjas” (St. Paul UMC, Kensington, MD), “Dirty Baker’s Dozen +1” (FUMC Dunedin, FL), “Gullible Travelers” (Davidson UMC, NC), “Tony Danza Awkward Tapdancing Extravaganza” (Gibsonville UMC, NC and Konnarock, VA), “Scrabbalicious Gun Slinging White Trash” (Tampa Bay, FL), “Sumiteers” (Davidson UMC, NC), “Dance Dance Hikers” (Green St. UMC, Winston-Salem, NC), and the “Narcaleptic Night Talkers and Sleep Walkers” (St. Paul UMC, Kensington, MD). You can view pictures of the groups with their flags here. With each group’s creativity, enthusiasm, and unity we anticipate a strong week in the wilderness! Following a scrumptious dinner of ham, green bean casserole, corn bread, and peaches we began our worship in the Lodge and continued atop our Property at our outdoor chapel. Each hiker laid a rock or pebble on the rock altar at the foot of the cross and enjoyed the mountain view before them. Chris pointed out the mountains that most groups would traverse over the course of the week and we observed a moment of silence in honor of Brian Holland, Wilderness Trail’s dear friend and to whom the new chapel altar and benches are dedicated, Chris Holder, a beloved servant leader and friend of the ministry, and all those who we love that could not be present for that time of worship. As daylight waned and we celebrated the Lord’s Supper together, the moon rose majestically over Mt. Rogers directly in front of us in an awe-inspiring fashion. The Staff thanked everyone for a wonderful opening retreat and we walked down the mountain with hearts held high in anticipation of hitting the trails in the morning. By eight o’clock on Wednesday, every hiking group had left the Property for their respective trailheads beneath clear blue skies! It was quite a beautiful day to be in the woods. The Support Staff and Base Camp Participants returned vehicles to the Property and cleaned up a bit, even gathering after supper for their own “campfire” devotion simultaneous to the nine hiking groups scattered across the wilderness turning over to God their “Little Foxes” and rejoicing over their “Holy Grounds.” We could not have asked for a more beautiful beginning to the summer for the first opening retreat and are expecting many stories of challenging and blessed journeys, great fun, and good fellowship when hikers return to the Property on Sunday!
Shalom, Dan Baker
June 16, 2008: Ichthus - and
Event 1! This weekend I got a double treat: I got to attend the Ichthus Music Festival in Wilmore, Kentucky and tell people about Wilderness Trail! Ichthus is a three-day festival featuring Christian music, with around 20,000 youth attending. Most of these youth camp out - and I followed suit, camping with First UMC of Waynesville and enjoying their close proximity to Central UMC of Asheville and the Vine of the Mountains of Waynesville. I spent most of my days sitting at a table, talking to potential new hikers about our ministry, listening to great bands like David Crowder playing in the background. A big THANK YOU to everyone who stopped and visited with me, it was a treat to meet so many new friends over the weekend! Today also marks the beginning of our first Summer Event! From 3 to 5pm this afternoon groups will be arriving from Florida, Maryland, North Carolina, and Virginia. As I type the Staff and Junior Staff are making their final preparations, taking showers, and getting ready to eat lunch together before "meet and greet." Look for more updates (and pictures!) coming soon!
Much love,
June 9, 2008: Staff / Board
Cookout I'm glad to report that the Summer Staff are just 5 days into their Orientation, and already it's looking like a fantastic summer is ahead of us. After 4 days of training and preparations, the Staff hit the trail today for some hands-on learning. This will be a great chance for them to knock the rust off and get in full gear for the summer while also getting to know each other better... and one last chance to get their boots broken-in! On Saturday I got to visit the Property for the first-ever Former Staff / Board / Current Staff cookout. Dome, Alan, and I were able to arrive early in the day, and with help from Mikie we got the roof on the 7th Sleeping Shelter. Eric and Joy arrived just in time to help us with the engineering required in assembling the new basketball goal. Around 3pm Michael, Matthew, Sue, and Bucky arrived to round out our crew. We enjoyed some competitive fellowship together (in the true style of Wilderness Trail) before settling down to eat a mean meal of hamburgers and hot dogs together (with AMERICA, our new favorite dessert, to finish it off). In the evening the former Staff and Board members shared some of their WT memories. It was a great chance to bridge the gap and come together around the common bond that we share - a love for Christ and a love for Wilderness Trail. The Staff have 5 more days of Orientation left! Please keep them in your prayers as they prepare the Property, our programming, and themselves for the journey ahead.
Much love,
June 3, 2008: Summer 2008, Initiate! This is it! After all the preparation and all the anticipation, the Summer Staff will arrive at the Wilderness Trail Property on Thursday. Every year this is a huge moment: the Staff begin their 10-day Orientation, during which they'll make purchases, receive training, clean, organize, plan, study, practice, pray, and have a lot of fun together. On June 15th they'll received their first group of Junior Staff and then on June 16th their first group of hikers. This is it! This is what it's all about. It's a particularly big year because we have some changes in job responsibilities. Dan Baker is our Summer Director, and along with Kara Sither (our Assistant Summer Director) he'll be leading the Staff and running our Summer Events. Meanwhile, I'll be based out of our Waynesville office. (In the past I've travelled to Troutdale, VA along with the staff.) This change will let me continue the development and administration that I work on during the year - and will allow Dan to focus completely on the Summer program. As strange as it is to make this change (I'm not ashamed to admit how much I'll miss wiffle ball and the salad bar and all the other great things that go along with Summer at Wilderness Trail), I'm very excited about the direction our ministry is going in - and very excited to be helping our ministry in a different way. Look for updates from Dan coming soon - he'll be keeping you posted on what's going on at the Wilderness Trail Property. I'll keep you posted on the fundraising and promotional work going on away from Virginia. This week, to kick of my summer working on the developmental side of things, I had the pleasure to meet with our Corporate Sponsorship Committee again. We met on Monday and had a terrific meeting - I left feeling even more encouraged and excited than I was after our last meeting. I'll be here in St. Petersburg until Friday - when I get to visit the Property as simply a visitor. And I'm pretty excited about that too. Please pray for our Staff as the summer begins - pray for a fun, safe, and (most importantly) Christ-centered summer for our 12 wonderful servant leaders. Much love! Mary
May 29, 2008: Spring Event 2 Spring event pictures have been posted! Click here to relive your backpacking glory.
Much love,
May 27, 2008: Spring Event 2 What a great Spring season we had! Not only did we have a terrific group of hikers, but the weather was particularly perfect - a combination that makes for some wonderful backpacking experiences. Our weekend began early as John Mark (aka, Dome), Phillip (aka, Buckshot), Ryan (aka, Crazyhorse), and Malcolm (who needs no nickname) arrived on Friday to work on our seventh sleeping shelter. Alan and Stephen joined them on Saturday, and thanks to their efforts all our shelter needs now is a roof! (Well, and some siding - but it's almost fully functional, which is what we need.) On Friday around 6 our hikers began arriving from places like: High Point, Raleigh, and Shelby, NC; Jacksonville, FL; and Bardstown, KY. By 8:15 everyone was at the Property and busy meeting in their hiking groups and getting packed. Mike led us in some worship and then I did my best to explain the practice of "Lectio Divina." We finished up on schedule and were able to have "lights out" in the Lodge around 10:30pm. On Saturday morning we woke around 7am and packed for our weekend. After some perfectly prepared biscuits and gravy our hikers headed out to Old Orchard, "Roadside Table," Massie Gap, and Beartree Gap. I've heard there were some big views, big campfires, hot dogs (?), Spades, sunburns, and lots of time with God through Lectio Divina over the course of the weekend. On Saturday afternoon the youth and Scouts groups from Lattimore Baptist in Shelby arrived to camp at our Property. Note: these people are professional campers! We were very impressed with their full setup. They helped us clean out the area around our new Group Building Course elements before hitting the trail and the Virginia Creeper to enjoy the pretty weather. On Monday morning we picked up some smelly hikers and returned them back to our Property to get cleaned up. At 10:00am about 20 of us gathered and headed up to our outdoor Chapel for one final experience resting with God through Lectio Divina. Everyone headed for home around 11:15 and - thanks to our great Hike Leaders and Support Team - we had the Property cleaned in record time by high noon. Many thanks to Kevin, Phillip, Aralynn, Lindsey, and Chris for leading our hiking groups, and to Alan, Dome, Malcolm, Ryan, Stephen, and Dan for their help on support. The next time our Property gates open, it'll be time for the Summer Staff to arrive for their Orientation! Whether or not you joined us this weekend, we'd love your input on our Spring Events. Click here to take the survey. Much love! Mary
May 20, 2008: Work Days and Spring Event 1 The 2008 hiking season is here! Before the hiking even started, a servant-minded team of volunteers came to the Property the weekend of May 1 to help us get things ready. 21 people travelled from all over North Carolina to Troutdale, VA. From Thursday to Sunday we cleaned, picked up fallen limbs, repaired leaks, made peach cobbler, organized, built the floor to the 7th sleeping shelter, burned stuff, and cleaned some more. When the dust settled, the Property looked wonderful - primed for the arrival of our first group of volunteers on May 16. And this past Friday, our first group of hikers did indeed arrive! Our 50 hikers came from Calhoun, GA and the North Carolina cities of Boone, Thomasville, Kernersville, Hickory, and Walkertown. On Friday night we packed, met in our groups, and enjoyed a cool spring night at the Lodge. Around 9:30pm we started our worship together - Bryan from Sedge Garden UMC did a terrific job leading our music for us. Our theme for the weekend was "Lectio Divina," a traditionally Catholic way of reading Scripture and listening for God's Word. I gave a talk (hopefully) explaining what Lectio is, and we were able to head for bed around 10:45. Although Friday (and Sunday) were rainy last weekend, Saturday was gorgeous. We woke up around 7am and by 8:15 everyone was on their way to their trailheads. Our hikers travelled through places like Walnut Mountain, Grayson Highlands, Buzzard Rock, and Straight Mountain. From the stories I've heard, it sounds like everyone had a pretty hike, good fellowship, and quality devotions around the campfire. I've also heard stories about a campfire being started with a magnifying glass and swimming in White Laurel Creek. On Sunday morning everyone returned to the Property in time to have our Chapel service at 10:30. We gathered by the pond and were almost on our way up when we had to make a last-minute dash to the Lodge to get out of the rain. But the floor of the Lodge proved to be a holy spot, as well - we ended our weekend with some singing, prayer, and one last round of Lectio Divina. On Friday we'll do it all over again! I'm excited for this long weekend of hiking and the adventures ahead of us. Hope to see you there!
Much love,
April 30, 2008: Boo for the website Hey friends - just wanted to apologize for both the website and our email being down for so long. Obviously, it's back up again - and you can freely send us emails without having them bounce back to you. I'm up at the Property now, and it has been cold! Otherwise, things look good. Our neighbor, Kristine, has been working on our landscaping in front of the lodge and it looks particularly nice. Thanks to a few days of rain, our pond is full for the first time in too long. We've had materials delivered for the floor of our 7th sleeping shelter. Tomorrow our volunteers will start arriving for our spring Work Days! Should be a fun weekend - and looks like the weather is about to warm up for the weekend. I'll be here until Sunday, and then will be back in the Waynesville office on Monday. Looking forward to seeing some of y'all soon!
Much love,
April 20, 2008: Spring Events and Wilderness Trail Office update Hey there, Team! The Spring Weather is starting to give me a serious itch for the mountains of Virginia and that lovely spot of land we call "the Property." It won't be too long before we're all up there again! Coming up first this season will be our annual Work Days. If you've never been, this weekend of spring cleaning and maintenance is a great chance to help Wilderness Trail out while also enjoying great fellowship and scenery. Our volunteers get a free t-shirt, but only if they register by Friday - so let me know if you're coming! Quick on the heels of the Work Days will be our Spring Events. Prices will increase on May 1st, and space is also limited. I do expect these weekends to fill so you'll be doing yourself a favor both ways to register now. Of course after that comes... SUMMER! If you haven't noticed already, we've got our Summer Staff 2008 page up and going. On Thursday and Friday of this week (and through the weekend) the Wilderness Trail office will be closed. If you have urgent Wilderness Trail questions - such as "What color will the t-shirts be this summer?" or "What's the best way to prepare beans and rice?" - you can still seek your answers by contacting our Summer Director, Dan Baker: danbaker@wtrail.com or (828) 734-0188. Next week I'll be working out of the Property as we work on our Group Building Course and then head into our Work Days. This won't affect phone calls and emails so much as "snail" mail, since I will be away from our P.O. Box.
Hope to see you soon!
April 10, 2008: Corporate Sponsorship of Wilderness Trail Hello, friends! Last week I had the pleasure of travelling to St. Petersburg, FL (hey, it's a tough job, but someone's got to do it!). I came back with not only a sunburn, but also a big smile from all the support and enthusiasm I received for our ministry. On Tuesday, April 1, I had lunch with a small group we talked about how we can find more financial support for our ministry through corporate sponsorships. The wheels are turning and some packets have already found their way into the hands of potential business donors. This group plans to meet again in several weeks. I'll keep you updated as things develop. In the meantime, you can view the corporate donor information here. If you or someone you know would like to be sent the full packet, please email me the name and address and I'll be happy to get that in the mail. Much love! Mary P.S. Thanks to searching and shopping on Goodsearch (see below), $25.00 has been raised for Wilderness Trail! Keep it up!
March 18, 2008: Goodsearch and Goodbuy
Goodsearch is a credible search engine, powered by Yahoo, that makes a small donation to a charity for every search someone performs. It's been positively reviewed by credible sources like ABC News and the New York Times (in other words, this isn't a spam hoax). You simply choose Wilderness Trail as your charity and search away as you normally would - except that your mindless surfing will result in some monetary goodness for Wilderness Trail. Goodsearch also powers Goodbuy, a similar system where you shop online as you normally would, but a percentage of your purchases go to Wilderness Trail. Online stores that work with Goodbuy include popular sites like Target, Amazon, Best Buy, and (my personal fave) Zappos. So shop away - and help Wilderness Trail in the process! To sign up, go to www.goodsearch.com and select Wilderness Trail (Waynesville, NC) from the list of charities. If you're like me and "www.yahoo.com" just flies off your fingertips, it might be helpful to make www.goodsearch.com your home page to get you in the habit of searching there. Then - search and buy and earn Wilderness Trail some money! Thanks - as always - for your support! Mary
March 17, 2008: Shelby Fundraiser Oh my goodness, time goes by! Sorry for a lapse in updates... but wait no longer, here's what's hoppin' at the Wilderness Trail office. Our Shelby Fundraiser was a great night of fellowship and raising some money for Wilderness Trail. We gathered together for Alston Bridge's Barbeque on Saturday night and perused a great selection of silent auction items. Once our program began, we had a Security Team report (preventing Purple even in their off-season); a picture slideshow of LaFayette Street UMC and Friendship UMC pictures; WT history from Sharon; Trail stories from Ronnie, Michael, and Taylor; WT future from yours truly; and then some time to pitch in and help out. When all was said and done, we raised over $2,000 to help accommodate the growth we've experienced in recent years. And, we had a great time! On Sunday night I had the pleasure of visiting with the youth at Fletcher UMC in Fletcher, NC. Not only did I get to talk about Wilderness Trail (one of my favorite things to talk about), but we even got in a few minutes of wiffle ball before the sun started to set! Hope of of y'all are doing well - Mary
March 5, 2008: Featured Picture and Shelby Dinner New on wtrail.com is a "picture of the week" - one of our favorites from 5, 10, even 20 years ago. This picture will be featured on our Photo Album page, so check back for some oldies but goodies! This Saturday at 6pm we'll be having our Fundraiser Dinner at LaFayette Street UMC in Shelby, NC. $25/person gets you Bridges Barbeque, great fellowship, pictures, testimonies, silent auction, and more. If you'd like to come but didn't receive an invitation, call Mary at (828) 734-0355. Hope to see you there!
Much love -
February 25, 2008: wtrail.com is back Hey there, team - for you loyal www.wtrail.com fans, sorry that the website was down for a few days over the weekend. We had an IP address transfer and it looks like it didn't go altogether smoothly, but apparently it's fixed now. On another note, we've mailed the invitations to our upcoming Shelby Fundraiser (which will be Saturday March 8th). If you're interested in attending but haven't received an invitation, don't worry, that wasn't intentional! We want anyone and everyone there to make the evening a fun one. You can email me at mary@wtrail.com (or call me at 828-734-0355) and I'll hook you up with all the vital information. Also, we have some terrific silent auction items planned - so bring a little "walking around money" to the event!
Much love!
February 16, 2008: Credit Cards no longer a joking matter In years past, we teased those who tried to pay by credit card for their registration fees. I remember Rob Hutchinson initiating Matthew into Assistant Director status by (jokingly) asking if he could pay by credit card for his hikers. Well, joke no more. We really do take credit cards. Yes, Wilderness Trail is joining the 21st century. Although you won't be able to swipe your card at the Wilderness Trail property, you can now pre-pay your registration fees online or in the Waynesville office (by phone or in person). I'm working on getting adding links to the registration pages, and should have them up early next week. You can visit our online payment page here. Enjoy! Mary
February 4, 2008: Looking forward to March 8th! Although things are relatively quiet here in the Wilderness Trail office during the winter months, we do have some exciting things coming up. One big event is our next Fundraiser Celebration, to be held in Shelby, NC on Saturday, March 8th. We had a great turnout at our planning meeting a couple weeks ago (one of those meetings where we kept having to find more chairs), which made us all really excited about the event itself. Wilderness Trail's roots in the Shelby area run deep. It was at LaFayette Street UMC that our three founding members - Rob and Sarah Blackburn and L.B. Izzi - first met. Back before "Wilderness Trail," LaFayette Street hosted hikes called "The LaFayette Street Hikers" and "Wilderness Journey." Our first Directors - David Greene and Sharon Wilson - came out of this same community. The Shelby area continues to be a big part of our ministry today. Friendship UMC has joined in, along with individuals from other churches in the area. During every season you'll find some hikers from the Shelby community out on trail. So if you live nearby, please plan to join us on March 8th! It's sure to be a fun night with reunions, storytelling, and a look toward the future... and maybe even a little Security.
Much love,
January 29, 2008: Back from Resurrection Alan and I had a great time this weekend in the "gateway to the Smokies" (aka, Gatlinburg, TN) at the annual Resurrection retreat. Each year - during two weekends in January - the youth of the Holston Conference of the UMC descend upon the Gatlinburg Convention Center... in numbers upwards of 10,000 over the two weekends. We especially enjoy going to Resurrection because the WT Property is physically located within the Holston Conference - which means when I say, "We're in Troutdale, VA" people know where that is! We met several people from Sugar Grove, Damascus, and Grayson - communities just up the road from us. Thanks to everyone who stopped by to talk to us! We hope to see you again soon. In other weekend highlights, I beat Alan in Rummy once and Speed once (although he schooled me about a dozen other times). And Dyson, our doggie, thoroughly enjoyed barking at deer in Cades Cove.
Much love,
January 22, 2008: Off to Gatlinburg! On Friday Alan and I will be heading into Gatlinburg, TN for the annual Resurrection event, a youth retreat for the Holston Conference of the United Methodist Church. This amazing event has literally thousands of youth who attend each January. We'll have a table for Wilderness Trail near the entrance to the worship area - if you'll be there, stop by and say hello!
Much love,
January 15, 2008: Summer Events Filling Excitement is building for our Summer 2008 events as registration starts to come in full-force! Events 4 and 5 are particularly full, with others close behind. If you have not registered yet you should contact Mary Brown to check the latest availability, and then send in your registration form as soon as possible. Groups especially should register now to make sure we have enough spaces on the week of your choice. I am traveling to Florida yet again this week. I'll be working while there but may not be able to reply to emails and phone calls as quickly as usual (and, obviously, won't be able to receive our mail while I'm gone). I'll be back in the Waynesville office on Monday.
Much love,
January 7, 2008:
WT Mourns Chris Holder I am unfortunately writing today with some sad news. Chris Holder, a Wilderness Trail hiker from Kernersville, NC, died on Saturday in a car accident. He was 24 years old. Chris was a long-time participant and volunteer with our ministry. I especially remember him from his weeks serving as Junior Staff in 2000 and 2001, when he helped lead hiking groups through our Summer Events. Chris was a strong hiker and easily set the pace for his groups, and he was also a capable outdoorsman - his leaders always appreciated his fire-building ability. But when asked what he was most proud of from his weeks as Junior Staff, Chris described his work communicating with and getting to know the group, rather than his speed and strength on trail. Chris was able to jump into a group of strangers and really become a part of them, stepping out of his comfort zone to become invested in his hikers. Chris was also a talented musician and used that skill to glorify God, playing in several Christian bands. While Junior Staff he helped lead music at our retreats. Chris was a gifted cook and was working as an executive chef. All of Chris' immediate family are also long-time participants and volunteers with our ministry. Please keep his parents, Tommy and Sheila, and sisters, Brooke and Courtney, in your prayers. The family will receive friends tonight (Monday) from 7 to 9pm at Hayworth Miller Cain Funeral Home (141 Smith Edward Road, Kernersville, NC 27284; http://www.hayworth-miller.com). The funeral service will be held tomorrow (Tuesday) at Sedge Garden UMC (794 Sedge Garden Road, Kernersville, NC 27284; www.sedgegardenumc.org). Cards and condolences may be sent to the Holder family at 820 Weavil Road, Kernersville, NC 27284. In lieu of flowers, the family is asking for memorials to be made to the Sedge Garden UMC Youth Ministry (794 Sedge Garden Road, Kernersville, NC 27284; www.sedgegardenumc.org). The Winston Salem Journal is printing Chris' obituary today. You can view it as well as a guestbook online: http://www.legacy.com/WinstonSalem/DeathNotices.asp?Page=Lifestory&PersonId=100821706. Thanks in advance to everyone for supporting the Holder family during this time.
In Christ,
January 1, 2008: Happy New Year! Welcome to 2008! In honor of our fresh new year, we have a fresh new page - a clean slate just waiting for stories about our events and other goings-on. Watch this page to stay updated on Wilderness Trail. Tomorrow (Wednesday) I'll be traveling to Florida and will be there through the weekend. I'll still be available but may not be able to reply to emails or take phone calls as quickly as usual. I'll be back in the Waynesville office on Monday. Much love, Mary
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