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Help Erin hike the Appalachian Trail

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Not interested in donating to my personal expenses? Support us by donating to Bilingual Education for Central America (BECA) instead and cheer us on to completing the hike!

As an ecologist, writer, budding photographer, and all-around nature enthusiast, it's been a dream of mine to complete the thru-hike from Georgia to Maine on the Appalachian Trail. A lot of family and friends have asked how they can help us out on the trail, so I set this page up to accept donations. I realize this is my dream to fulfill and I'm blown away by the support I'm recieving from loved ones near and far! Follow me on Appalachian Trials to keep updated with our journey from Springer to Katahdin!

The trip would take around 6 months and requires a lot of enthusiasm and perseverance. unfortunately, it also requires money! The money you donate will go towards helping me pay my student loans while on the trail, as well as trail-related expenses: replacing worn-out gear, resupplying food and toiletries (plenty of sunscreen and bugspray to be used!), as well as the occasional "zero day" in a town near the trail where i can enjoy a hot meal and a beer or two (transportation to and from towns, as well as hiker-friendly hostels also need to stay in business). The rest is on hand for true emergencies. According to the Appalachain Trail Conservancy, it usually costs $1000/month to hike the trail. I don't see me going crazy in towns, so I'm hoping it wouldn't be nearly that much, but I also don't want to run out of money in case I need new hiking shoes or repair my tent. 

We've done our research; we know what challenges lie ahead in hiking 2100 miles of changing weather, elevation changes, and black fly season. This is a trip we are both very serious about. should the trip not be completed or be cancelled for any reason, all funds donated will be returned. 

I love natural history, so in return for funding my expenses, look forward to updates, anecdotes, and ecological facts. Should you deem my photography acceptable, I will be happy to send prints from the trail to donors. We would also very much like to compile a book of our trip, mixing ecology and natural history with anecdotes from the trail. This is a gift that will not be wasted; it is an investment not only to enrich my personal life, but to raise awareness about the biodiversity and beauty of one of the oldest mountain ranges in the world. 

In addition to this adventure being a lifelong dream, Andrew and I will be hiking the trail to raise awareness for the amazing work Bilingual Education for Central America (BECA) is doing in Honduras. If you'd rather donate to BECA to spur us along, then please visit the GoFundMe page I've set up for their donations.

Since I will be saving my own money in the coming months as well, the goal may change. 

Thank you so very much for your encouragement and support!

Organizer

Erin Tate
Organizer
Ridge Farm, IL

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