[at-l] DWG hostel donation

[spiriteagle99 at hotmail.com (Jim and/or Ginny Owen)]

As I promised, this is the letter of explanation that will go the DWG hostel 
along with the money that was donated at the PA Ruck.  The address is 
included, so if there's anyone out there who feels moved to contribute on 
their own, you'll know where to send your cash, check, money order or 
whatever else is appropriate (livestock/chickens might be welcome, but are 
considerably harder to mail).   <G>

At this moment, the checks are in the mail to the hostel - or at least will 
be when the mailman picks up the envelope later this morning.  So - for what 
it's worth, the letter -----



February 1, 2004

Church of the Mountain Building Fund
c/o Rev Karen Nickels
PO Box 336
Delaware Water Gap, PA 18327

Dear Karen:

The weekend of Jan 30 ? Feb 1, 2004 was the occasion of the Seventh Annual 
Ruck at the Ironmaster?s Mansion Hostel at Pine Grove Furnace State Park.  
The Ruck is a two- day get-together of people who either have hiked the 
Appalachian Trail in the past or want to do so in the future. It is a 
smaller, less formal event than ALDHA?s Gathering, though with many of the 
same people. This year about 70 people attended, despite the cold and snow.  
Most of us are folks who have ?met? via the Internet, usually via an email 
list called AT-L  (at www.backcountry.net). The Ruck has been held for the 
last six years at the Ironmaster?s Mansion Hostel.  If you?d like more 
information regarding the Ruck, the totally unofficial, unauthorized (and 
possibly illegal, immoral and fattening) 2004 website is located at: 
http://www.artofthetrail.com/paruck.html

Among other activities, for the last five years the Ruck organizers have 
also designated some worthy AT cause as the object of a fundraiser.  This is 
a way, albeit a very small one, to give a little something back to those who 
provide the hiker services along the Trail that make our thruhikes a little 
better ? and sometimes make them possible.  This year, after reading your 
letter in the ATN, we designated your church/hostel as the most worthy (and 
immediate) cause.

Money was raised via a soup and chili lunch ($3.00 a head) and a gear closet 
garage sale (bring your cast offs, then pay whatever you can/want for 
whatever catches your eye).  It is all pretty informal, but an easy way to 
collect a bit of extra money for a good cause, without too much arm twisting 
(though people were told what the money was to be used for, so many gave 
pretty generously for what was, after all, used gear.)  Those of us who have 
hiked the Trail have very good memories of the kindness of the people at the 
Church of the Mountain, including but certainly not limited to the weekly 
pot luck suppers. Therefore, the Ruck, as a group, would like to present the 
enclosed checks, totaling  $360.00, as a donation to your building fund.

We do appreciate the efforts that you and the members of the Church have 
consistently made over the years to assist the Appalachian Trail hiking 
community.

Thank you,
Jim and Ginny Owen (Bald Eagle/Spirit Walker)
  and about 70 other past and future hikers

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