Participants Say.....
About WIN...
Laura Heatwole, “I wasn’t sure I wanted to be involved in an all girl event. Boy! Was I surprised. The environment at WIN was that of sharing, learning, and encouraging one another. It wasn’t about being anti-male but, rather, pro-female. For any woman out there wondering if an all girl learning experience is right for her, I’d say give it a try. You might be pleasantly surprised. I know I was.”About the hikes...
For Celia Charland, reaching the summits was a triumph and a tribute. “The challenge,” she said, “was to see if I could do it, push myself. I thought it would be a good thing to do for my 50th summer, to be strong and healthy and live well.” Her weekly determination, like many others, was inspired in part from personal tragedy. “On a personal note,” she added, “my sister was diagnosed with cancer when she was 50 and died at the age of 52 so I wanted ‘50’ to look a little different for me. The hikes were in her honor. Motivation was very personal.”
Julie Blank commented, “I had heard about the group at the gym I work out in and thought that would be something I'd like to try. I had only a little bit of confidence in my abilities to do it.” After a few weeks with the ladies, however, her confidence levels were raised. “Walking with the ladies gave me a sense of camaraderie and a "can do" attitude that just needed to be nourished,” she said. “As a result, I found myself exploring all sorts of places in Idaho on my own and enjoying a confidence in myself I had not enjoyed since the ‘pre-kids’ days.”
Susan Medford explains, “Hiking with this group has been a wonderful experience. New friendships with women of all ages and varied backgrounds have developed while sharing a common goal of sharing the glory of nature. The pre-conditioning walks and the hikes are filled with laughter, words of encouragement and sharing of knowledge.”
Cecilia Jerome says, “I’ve experienced camaraderie, the beauty of nature, but most importantly, a sense of accomplishment. Setting goals, especially for physical improvement, and then achieving those goals is so satisfying that it makes the muscle pain and sweat a welcomed sign of that victory.”