Trailblazing the Way: Peoples Partners with the Rachel Carson Trail Challenge
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Peoples employees taking part in the Rachel Carson Trail Challenge
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Peoples employees taking part in the Rachel Carson Trail Challenge
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Peoples employees taking part in the Rachel Carson Trail Challenge
The Rachel Carson Trail Challenge is a 35-mile day-long footrace, in which participants hike a portion of the Rachel Carson Trail between North Park and Harrison Hills Park. Unlike other races, this hiking challenge is not about speed, but endurance. Hikers get up bright and early to tackle the brutal terrain and navigate the long trail. (Even the shorter options — the 18-mile and 8-mile Challenges — are no walk in the park.)
This year marks the 23rd annual trail challenge that will take place on June 22nd, the Saturday before the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. We’re proud to be the primary sponsor of the Rachel Carson Trail Challenge again this year. Many of our own Peoples employees are taking part in the race.
Jamie P., a Peoples employee, has participated in the trail challenge twice before and looks forward to hiking the trail again this year.
“After my husband and I completed our first Challenge in 2017, we sat completely exhausted at the finish line picnic, housing fruit salad. We weren’t even sure we were going to make the short walk back to the car,” says Jamie. “By early 2018, somehow the memories of trudging through mud, sliding down hills, and laying on the floor for three hours after the Challenge had become fun, happy memories. So we signed up again.”
Although the Challenge can be, well, challenging, stories like Jamie’s are pretty common. There’s something about the Challenge keeps hikers coming back year after year.
Proceeds from the annual event go to support the Rachel Carson Trails Conservancy, a local nonprofit that not only works to preserve the Rachel Carson Trails but also to encourage community members to get outside and enjoy the beautiful trails in their own communities.
The Rachel Carson Trails Conservancy acts as the caretaker of over 170 miles of trails, maintaining the many paths that cross onto private property and through Rachel Carson’s birthplace in Springdale. By relying on this annual event, other donations, and partnerships like the one with Peoples, the Conservancy is able to preserve the trails so that community members can continue to enjoy them for years to come.
“The Rachel Carson Trail Conservancy does such amazing work,” says Jamie. “The Challenge brings people together to enjoy the outdoors, but it also encourages people to protect the outdoors, and to honor the legacy of a homegrown environmental hero in Rachel Carson.”
Another Peoples employee, Shani L, says that while the Challenge was tough, she loves the sense of community that the event creates.
“I had no idea what I was in for when we started out that afternoon,” said Shani. “The camaraderie among the hikers was fun as well – everyone was so supportive of those less experienced hikers. By the end my team was dirty, tired, happy….and already planning for this year! I’m so glad Peoples supports this worthwhile organization.”
We’re delighted to support the Rachel Carson Trail Challenge and the work of the Rachel Carson Trails Conservancy. We’re grateful for the opportunity to spread awareness of these beautiful trails that are, quite literally, in many of our customers’ own backyards, and we look forward to cheering on all of the hikers again this year.