Walking Wonder Women
Once again we're hiking 20 miles on the Appalachian Trail to support the work of the Hagerstown Area Religious Council and the Micah's Backpack program (serving more than 1,000 children each weekend of the school year with nutritious meals). In past years we've ended up with horrible blisters, hiked through flooded trails, bruised our toes on rocks and roots, and each time wondered if we would make it. This year we're hiking 20 miles on the Appalachian Trail covering the southern section from Pen Mar Park to Caledonia Park. This section has a total elevation gain of 3,260 feet, and an elevation loss of 3,615 feet. We will be ascending and descending the mountain all day long in what might be the most difficult of our hikes physically - ugh.
Why do we do it? Because we believe in the work of HARC and because yes, we're a little crazy. Will you support us in our hike? We would be very grateful; it makes the pain all worthwhile. Support through monetary means and through prayer for our safety (and maybe a bonus of nice weather) are greatly appreciated.
Nearly every year, the three of us have hiked together. This year we're officially a hiking team - The Walking Wonder Women. You can support one of us via our invidual hike fundraising pages, or make a donation to the team and it will be split between us to help all of us reach our goals.
Thank you for your support!
HARC CHALLENGE HIKE
A serious hike for adventurous people who want to support a good cause! This year’s hike will be on the Appalachian Trail. Hike starts at Pen Mar park and concludes in Caledonia, for a total of 20+ miles on the trail in one day.
HARC
The Hagerstown Area Religious Council (HARC) is a coalition of faith community partners in Washington County, Maryland. While HARC’s partner congregations can differ greatly on theology, all agree on the strength of working together to build a better community, help those in need, and support one another.
We believe we can do more TOGETHER to embody mercy, justice and love as diverse faith partners in Washington County.
We seek to fulfill this vital mission in the following ways:
Mercy Ministry:
- We believe no child should ever go hungry! Micah's Backpack serves more than 1,000 children with nutritious food for the weekends through a partnership of nearly 50 churches and organizations.
- Food & Clothing Resources - HARC maintains a list of food pantries, soup kitchens and clothing banks in Washington County. We also post/share information about summer food and other food programs.
Justice Ministry:
- Through our "Enough for our Children" initiative, we seek ways to ensure that all children in Washington County have enough: enough food, education, stability, and emotional support to thrive. This initiative includes serving through Learning Parties, teaching parents how to prepare their pre-school age children for school, and through training community members about Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and how to prevent and heal childhood trauma.
- We believe that all people are made in the image of God and loved by God equally. We strive to bring about equal opportunities for all people in Washington County through our Racial Justice initiative.
Interfaith Coalition
We celebrate 20 years of HARC's Interfaith Coalition! Birthed out of the tragedy of 9-11-2001, the Interfaith Coalition exists to bring people of different beliefs together to promote peace, respect, and compassion in our local community. Through dialogue and public presence, we welcome each person’s unique spiritual perspective, strive to learn more about each other, and seek to honor the diversity of our various traditions.
Information and Resources:
Find information, resources and events listings on our website at www.harccoalition.org. Also sign up for HARC’s weekly News Flash for a rich assortment of news, events, and information geared specifically to the faith community. HARC also connects congregations and organizations with similar passions and interests to have a greater impact in their work.
Fellowship and Support:
HARC fosters activities that connect and support clergy and congregations.
Public Witness:
HARC organizes and sponsors community events such as a Good Friday Cross Walk, Interfaith Community Thanksgiving Service, and the Hagerstown Historic Houses of Worship Tour.