Help Mary Conquer the Divide

I met Mary Anderson last fall when she attended an online writing workshop that I led with the sponsorship of our town library. She had just completed a 1,500-mile solo hike of the southern half of the rugged Continental Divide Trail, and she wanted to write a book about it. I have been a workshop leader since 2007, and I had never before heard a story like Mary's. She is writing not only about the rigors of the trail but also about the long-term effects of childhood trauma, and the story is not yet finished. This summer, Mary will hike the northern half of the trail, carrying an ice axe and bear spray, and Korongo Books, my imprint, is raising funds to help her stay safe on the trail. Korongo's mission is to build community through writing. It is our hope that with the help of our funding Mary will not only finish her hike this year but also have a better hiking experience than she did last year, when she was often lonely and despondent. The funds we raise will be used to purchase an ice axe, an electronic tablet for writing, and a new backpack, and to pay for a few overnight stays in hostels along the trail. Over the years, Korongo has donated thousands of hours to produce dozens of books by residents of Vermont's White River Valley, but this is the first time we have raised funds for a single writer's project. We are doing it because we believe in Mary, and we believe in her book. In a society where trauma is too often hidden and its effects too little understood, we need courageous people to come forward with their stories, and we need to support them when they do.