THE NEED CONTINUES INDEFINITELY! HOW CAN YOU CONTINUE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
Please click on the boot above to go to my Hike For Discovery website. I will continue accepting donations on behalf of LLS until near Christmas of 2008. There you can donate via a secure server. You can also read about why I am doing this, learn about my honorees and see all my wonderful donors who have jumped on board with me to help and support me. In the meantime, I will continue hiking through Trampas Lakes NM, Rocky Mountain National Park CO, Santa Fe Baldy NM and Great Smoky Mountains National Park TN, continuing to spread the word about The Leukemia And Lymphoma Society. Thank you for your participation and interest.
Richard
Donor Drawing for Free Pet Services
Donors who contribute $50 or more are entered into four drawings for free pet services this summer. Donations received between June 1 and September 15 will qualify. Please visit my Hike For Discovery website to learn more.
June 20, 2008 Winner Drawing #1: Micky and Mary Odom
July 5, 2008 Winner Drawing #2: Larry and Ginger Hindman
August 15, 2008 Drawing #3 Carolyn Killough
September 15, 2008 Drawing #4 ___________________
"SPAY/NEUTER FOR A CURE"
This summer I am holding 4 spay/neuter clinics with all proceeds going to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. All supplies and labor is being donated by Mobile Veterinary Services of New Mexico as well as some very eager volunteers.
The first clinic was held July 8, 2008 and over $700 was raised for LLS.
The next clinic was held July 29, 2008 and over $400 was raised for LLS. Thank you donors for bringing in your kitties and pups.
Please contact us at 263-3555 to schedule your pet's sterilization surgery. Fees are discounted for this event but the quality of the procedure is not!
The clinic for August has been cancelled due to low response. If we can generate enough interest, another clinic will be held in September or October. I will post a date when it becomes available.
Thank you for your support of this very worthwhile cause!
WEEK 4: FAULTY TRAIL June 22, 2008
84 degrees, partly cloudy, departure time 7:30am, total distance 7.05 miles, elevation change 1334 ft., sweat factor 2.5 out of 5
Today was the first hike that our almost full contingent of hikers was present. We hiked up Faulty trail where it starts on the south side of the Sandias at the Canyon Estates trailhead. A number of the hikers just returned from Yosemite where they participated in the previous Hike For Discovery event hike. Their stories were awesome and inspiring. We hiked north up Faulty to where it intersects with Upper Faulty Trail, then started our southwardly descent, intersecting the CCC route and Crest Trail. The CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) route, a very steep direct route to South Peak was built in the 1930s along with many other projects in the Sandias. South Peak will be another day but today, we continue downward on Crest Trail eventually winding back to Faulty Trail. Our group was tested just a bit more today, a little steeper, a bit longer and the temps bringing out the sweat to our brows. I can feel the energy in the group, lots of commaraderie and laughter and cautious optimism for a successful fundraising season despite the stalled economy. The take home lesson today was this: leukemia, lymphoma and cancer in general do not give a lick about the state of the economy! Can you imagine the cost of chemotherapeutic drugs and the transportation expenses gettting to the hospital for treatment on top of the fact that many patients have to quit work? We need not whine about our own lives because we have it comparably easy. The need continues for $$$ to fund patient care programs and continue research into finding a cure for these devastating diseases. Please, please, please help us out by donating to our program. The need is great and continuous!!
WEEK 5 Mystery Trail Sandia Mountains June 29, 2008 9.5 miles Sweat Factor 2.5 out of 5
With the threat of closure of the Sandia Mountains due to high fire danger and lack of moisture, our HFD group headed to the Mystery Trail for a 9.5 mile journey. Some maps do not even have this trail on them, others have it labeled as a continuation of the Faulty Trail and no one seems to know the origin of this trail, therein lives the "mystery" of this trail. For the most part we were under canopy, emerging a couple of times to party cloudy skys with the potential threat of rain this afternoon. Bring on the rain dances. My conclusion today is that the new participants are awesome hikers, each taking a turn to lead the group and each one with a quick pace. Way to go hikers, you inspire me.
This hike had everything....rutted roads deep
enough to bury a small car, wildflowers galore,
beautiful meadows, scree covered slopes to reach
the summit, threatening and thundering skies,
long distance (15 miles), great company of alumni
