Long before “reconnecting” meant putting down our phones for a few hours, people found their way back to themselves—and one another—through the rhythms of the natural world.
🌍 From around August–October, depending on the community, Igbo communities in Nigeria and across parts of West Africa, come together to celebrate the New Yam Festival (Iri Ji) -- it is the arrival of the new yam harvest and the beginning of a new agricultural cycle. Traditions vary from community to community, but at its heart is something beautifully simple: pause, give thanks for what the earth has provided, honor those who came before, share what you have, and gather with your people.
We like the sound of that.
🍂 This October, our theme at We Hike to Heal is Reconnect. As seasons shift around us, we invite you to reconnect with whatever has been nourishing you lately—with the earth beneath your feet, with people who fill your cup, with your own body and breath, or simply with the practice of getting outside.
Maybe reconnecting doesn't require finding something new at all. Maybe it begins by noticing—and appreciating—what has been sustaining us all along.
Here's what we've been gathering, growing, and celebrating at WH2H this fall. 🌿
--> Maker of magical surprises. We are too grateful for words!
Thank you Priscilla and SO many other community members who donated! We feel loved, seen and heard.
✨ A Little Giving-Day Magic
Our first WH2H Day of Giving on September 10th may have started with more of a dusting of fairy sprinkles than a fundraising downpour—but then came one incredible surprise: a generous gift from the Erin Bragg Fund of the Alaska Community Foundation. 💚
To every person who donated, shared our campaign, made an introduction, or cheered us on: thank you! Every gift matters, and every person who chooses to invest in this work helps us keep creating opportunities for women to heal, connect, and get outside.
Missed the Day of Giving? The trail is still open. You can support WH2H anytime through our GIVE BUTTER donation page.$5, $25, $50—or whatever feels right—helps keep this community moving forward. ⏩
Contact partners @ wehiketoheal . org and we'll help you set up your campaign.
From Military Boots to Hiking Boots: Meet the Hiking HERoes!
Meet Jules and Tikela, two women veterans and longtime friends who are embarking on a new adventure together! Through their Hiking HERoes initiative, they're combining faith, friendship, and a love of the outdoors to inspire healing, connection, and empowerment—one trail at a time.
Their first mission?Raise $1,000 for We Hike to Heal! As they challenge themselves on the trails, they're inviting others to support their journey and help bring the healing power of nature to more women.
Feeling inspired? Why not create your own hiking challenge with WH2H? Whether it's conquering a mountain, hiking 50 miles, or completing 10 trails in 10 weeks, set a BIG goal and turn your adventure into impact! We'll help you create your own personalized fundraising page, making it easy for friends and family to cheer you on and support WH2H.
Canoe, Connect & Reconnect
🛶 Join WH2H Ambassador, Sharon, on Friday, October 30 from 1–4 PM for a special afternoon at the Chattahoochee Nature Center! We have space for just 17 WH2H community members to experience Wilderness Inquiry’s Canoemobile, including up to an hour paddling the Chattahoochee River in giant 10-person canoes. No paddling experience is needed, and the entire experience is FREE.
Sharon will incorporate WH2H's hike + journal + meditate into the afternoon's events. Plus, the paddle will be followed by a special animal encounter at the Nature Center. Come spend an autumn afternoon reconnecting with the river, the land, and each other. 💦
📍 Chattahoochee Nature Center | Roswell, GA 📅 Friday, October 30 | 1–4 PM 🎟️ FREE | Only 17 WH2H spots available
📧 EMAIL Deva to join: deva @ wehiketoheal . com
Meet Ambassador Melissa (South Carolina)
What first drew you to We Hike to Heal?I was first drawn to WH2H when I heard about the opportunity to connect with others with a focus on healing. For me that meant mental healing in nature, something I have been working on for the last several years. I was thrilled to see that there was a community and safe space where other women had the same goals.
What does leadership look like to you on the trail? To me, leadership on the trail is making sure everyone feels as comfortable as they can and the group pace or dynamic isn’t off-putting to them. For example, making sure that we never go too fast or stopping frequently for pictures of cool finds along the trail, or engaging people with what brought them out so they never feel like embarrassed about pace or unsure if they are newer to the trail.
What’s one thing you always bring on a hike?My purple hat! 💜
What would you say to a woman who feels nervous about joining her first hike?I would say that I was nervous too! When I started hiking I had little outdoor experience, didn’t know what I was doing, but was excited to be around similar minded people. WH2H welcomed me with open arms and we will welcome you too! Its ok to be nervous, introverted, inexperienced with the outdoors, or just hesitant. We would love to have you!
Find Melissa at a SC State Park near you!
UPCOMING: "Our Nature Connection" Film Night at REI!
Join us on Friday, November 6, for a FREE evening celebrating storytelling, representation, and the healing power of nature at REI Perimeter in Atlanta!
The evening features two inspiring film screenings:
1) Boyz N The Wood: Resilience in the Redwoods
2) Marcus & Me: Connecting with Nature in Steel City
Followed by a conversation with featured film leads CJ Goulding and Marcus Shoffner.
We're especially excited to support CJ Goulding, Executive Director of Boyz N The Wood and a valued WH2H Board Member!
Come show some love for CJ and his organization, connect with fellow outdoor enthusiasts, and support REI, one of WH2H's longtime sponsors. Enjoy free food, music, and opportunities to meet local community organizations.
Friday, November 6 | 5:30–9 PM REI Perimeter Store, Atlanta, GA
We began this newsletter with harvest and gratitude. It seems fitting to end it with another ancient tradition—this time one that asks us to consider what happens after the harvest.
More than 2,000 years ago, ancient Celtic communities marked Samhain around the transition from October into November, when the harvest season ended and the darker half of the year began. Fires were lit, communities gathered, ancestors and the dead held particular significance, and people prepared themselves for the winter ahead. Centuries of change and Christian tradition would eventually help shape this seasonal observance into the Halloween we recognize today.
Beneath all the ghosts, pumpkins, and candy, there's still a lovely invitation hiding there: notice the season changing. Gather your people. Honor what came before. And make room for what comes next.
As we do that at We Hike to Heal, we're especially grateful for you. To everyone who donated during our Day of Giving, shared our campaign, volunteered, joined us on a trail or REI event, or simply told someone about our work—thank you. You are helping sustain this community and carry it into its next season.
So as October will come to a close as quickly as it began, perhaps take a cue from the natural world. What are you ready to let fall away? What deserves to be carried forward? And who do you want beside you as you step into the season ahead?
Cauldron optional. 🪄🎃
Until we gather again in November, keep finding your way outside. 🌿
With gratitude, Deva Executive Director (Interim) We Hike to Heal
P.S. Some "get-to's", not "to-do's":
🌿Share this newsletter with a friend
🌿Mark your calendar for Giving Tuesday this December 1st!
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