The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina recently awarded a $3,000 Fund for Mitchell County Grant to High Country Caregivers (HCC).
This grant will help fund HCC’s program “Eyes in the Wild”, a nature adventure program for teens being raised by their grandparents. The program will be led by Tal Galton, Director of Snakeroot Ecotours, who is a renowned expert naturalist and educator with more than two decades of experience taking people to see the most remarkable wilderness spots in the Pisgah National Forest.
Starting in May, he, along with HCC Director of Community Relations Pana Columbus and HCC Kinship Navigator Caroline Johnson, will be taking participating youth on monthly hiking trips in which teens will see magnificent waterfalls, picnic by rivers and learn about fascinating plants and animals here in Appalachia.
Included in this adventure are a three-day overnight camping trip in June and a four-day overnight camping trip in August.
“We are deeply grateful to the Community Foundation of WNC for helping make this tremendous opportunity for our teens possible,” Columbus said.
If you are raising your teen grandchildren and would like more information about this nature adventure program, contact Columbus at 832-6366 extension three or email pana@highcountrycaregivers.com.
High Country Caregivers is a nonprofit organization that provides support, education and advocacy for families in which relatives are raising their family members.