Rand Carpenter is one who has signed up for the Trailblaze Challenge.
Mistie Clements, Stephanie Wilkins, Monica Elrod and Valerie Richardson take a girls hike to prepare for the upcoming Cloudland Canyon trek.On Oct. 22, 20 hikers will trek 26.7 miles from the base of Cloudland Canyon and make their way to the top of Lookout Mountain.
The hikers are part of East Tennessee Make-A-Wish Foundation's inaugural Trailblaze Challenge, which seeks to utilize Chattanooga's scenic viewpoints to raise money for those in need.
So far, says development coordinator Catherine Fowlkes, hikers have raised almost $30,000 - 100 percent of which will go toward Make-A-Wish grants for children facing life-threatening medical conditions.
"This is very much a grassroots campaign and driven by the passion and support of our hikers," Fowlkes says.
At its heart, Trailblaze is about helping children like 15-year-old Felicity. Diagnosed with a hematologic disorder, she was able to make her dream journey to New Zealand and see her favorite locations where the Lord of the Rings movies were filmed thanks to Make-A-Wish.
Though she was tired much of the time, she was determined to see everything on her New Zealand list, says her mother Monica.
"I think Felicity saw that people cared about her and how she felt through her challenges and her illness. Somebody cared enough to think she deserved a break, and then they granted her wish to give her that break," Monica says. "She saw how far people will go to make her as happy as possible. Just experiencing something amazing brought joy to Felicity and left her humble and grateful."
Fowlkes says reception to this new way of helping to create more moments like Felicity's has been good, and she hopes to make Trailblaze an annual event. Registration for this year ends Oct. 1.
"The Trailblaze Challenge is more than a hike, it is a journey," Fowlkes says. "It is our goal that those who participate will forever be changed by what they have contributed and dedicated themselves to and the children we serve. The path these hikers are blazing will hopefully continue for years to come."
Amy Griffith, Rick Glisson, Mary Wagoner-Angelin and Mistie Clements practice for the Trailblaze Challenge.