Hitchcock Woods Foundation Mission
The Hitchcock Foundation originally started the Woods Run as a (1) fundraiser
for some additional acreage that was vital to maintaining the health an mission
of the woods, and (2) as an awareness effort to get more runners involved with
the preservation of the Woods. The race was held for 12 straight years, then
on-off for the last four. In the latter years, the Foundation resorted to
a more direct plea for involvement from runners. The efforts did not net
great results, as few runners are active in memberships (eg, financial) or in
preservation activities
The Woods is shared by walkers, runners, and horses alike. While is
likely to be most valuable for horses and "horse people", it is also
valuable to runners, particularly diehard trail runners. As in all case of
unachieved goals, education is the key. And that means Runners learning
about the "Woods" and the Wood members learning about
runners. There is much mis-information about how the Woods in funded, and
in this day of high-tech spin, it's hard to take-in the extremes of information
about how little, or how well, the Woods Foundation is funded.
The mile-high view is that the Woods was privately donated, with a mission of
preservation and enjoyment for controlled public use. It now consists of
2000 acres, cared for by an endowment that's probably not large enough to send a
single kid to college!! It is not a playground for the rich!. The
Woods is for you and me.
If you want the Woods Run to return, we must get involved. Contact the
Woods Foudnation for more info, 642-0528
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