The Trailblaze Challenge
Hikers tackled 23.7 miles to help grant 30 wishes to children with critical illnesses
On August 11, nearly 70 hikers pulled jackets over their Trailblaze Challenge t-shirts, laced up their hiking boots, and headed for Platte River Trailhead near Foxton in pre-dawn darkness. The hikers were about to embark on the first-ever Trailblaze Challenge, an event to benefit Make-A-Wish® Colorado. Throughout the day, the group covered 23.7 miles of the mountainous Colorado terrain in order to raise money to grant wishes to children with critical illnesses.
The participants spent months preparing for the event with training hikes organized by Make-A-Wish, while also fundraising for a cause that meant something special to each of them. Among the hikers were wish kids and their families, as well as those who simply wanted to help create life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses.
Together, the hike raised raised $227,000 for Make-A-Wish Colorado. Those funds are directly used to grant wishes to Colorado children – bringing happiness in a time of fear and replacing sadness with joy.
For those battling critical illnesses, it’s clear that these wishes impact the entire family in a positive way. Megan, a hiker who battled a brain tumor when she was six, shared her wish experience with the group on the day of the hike.
“It was a chance for me to be a kid again, for my brother to have some fun and for our family to be together,” Megan said.
Make-A-Wish recipient Megan F. and her brother.
Since 1983, Make-A-Wish Colorado has granted 5,200 wishes. Community support is crucial to funding those wishes, which on average cost $7,500 cash.
Save the Date! The next fundraiser is the second annual Walk For Wishes® & 5K Run, which takes place October 21 at Hudson Gardens in Littleton, Colorado.
