Zanne Garland (center) and her Hante group get ready to set out on the Appalachian Trail to hike 100 miles.

Mobilize to Rise….The Spark that Lit the Fire

By Noni Waite-Kucera

Last December the Holiday issue of The Eagle spotlighted Zanne Garland (former camper and current staff member) and her efforts to create leadership development opportunities for young people by hiking the Appalachian Trail to raise scholarship dollars for the Hante program.

In Zanne’s words:

“Investing in young people and providing access to wilderness leadership programs will extend far beyond the additional students who can participate in an outdoor program as a result of more scholarships. The groups on the trips will be more diverse and the skills that all of the students transfer from the Hante school to their every day lives will reemerge in their own shape, form, or motion. A good leader can be more transformative than any idea or organization within a community.”

Zanne’s call to action was more than successful. Her efforts to date have resulted in raising $4,408, of which $3,000 was granted to three deserving young people enabling their participation in a Hante program this past summer. Two of those recipients were on the Appalachian Trail Trek that Zanne led with her co-instructor Karl Benz.

This fall Eagle’s Nest nominated Zanne for the 2006 Outstanding Philanthropy award from the NC-Triad Chapter of Association of Fundraising Professionals. Just recently we learned that Zanne will be the recipient of the Philanthropy Day Award for Emerging Fundraiser for the work she has done for Eagle’s Nest and other organizations. We are very proud of Zanne and in particular of the work she has done on behalf of young people. She has been that spark that has inspired others to rise up and mobilize. She is the leader who is providing transformative experiences for young people.

At this year end I encourage each of you to think of what you can do to inspire and lead others. I also encourage you to support, as you are able, the scholarship programs at Eagle’s Nest. It is through your contributions that Eagle’s Nest is able to provide these transformational experiences to all young people regardless of their financial status. Every contribution, no matter how big or small, makes a large impact on our ability to reach out to others. Thank you Zanne, for leading the way and sharing the lessons you have learned at Eagle’s Nest!

Contributions can be made online at www.enf.org/donations or by sending a check to P.O. Box 5127, Winston-Salem, NC 27113-5127.