We are in the final stages of preparing for our final expedition to Peru in less than two weeks. The expedition phase is always the most exciting and a little nerve-wracking for the girls. They may be wondering if they are really ready for the Peruvian highlands and they may worry about missing home a little bit, but more than anything, they are ready to take their adventure and learning to the next level. The cultural, adventurous and physically demanding expedition is a culmination of their training and a celebration of the community they’ve created. They’ve earned this. They are ready. Their lives will never be the same and we can’t wait to get this adventure started!
In our sixth year we are thrilled to have one of our first-year Wellfit Girls on the leadership team as a facilitator-in-training. In addition to being one of our first participants, Kendall has participated in all three years of our online alumna advanced leadership program, as well as both of our alumna retreats in Boulder, CO and Baja California Sur, Mexico. Kendall’s participation with Wellfit Girls has supported her ongoing leadership and communication growth. As the Creative Visionary Officer (CVO) of Wellfit Girls, I sit in awe and gratitude that we are living the vision now, alas, passing the baton to our girls, serving them while they serve our future leaders. We are lucky to have Kendall on board and look forward to more alumni taking on this leadership role in our “Leaders in Action” program.
I may have come up with the original idea of Wellfit Girls, but the years of success are 100% attributable to the hard work, dedication and support of our staff, volunteers and supporters. None of us could have achieved our success and developed this new expansion model alone. I couldn’t feel more proud of our staff and thankful for the partnership with Colby over the past six years. I also couldn’t ask for a better team with whom to travel new lands.
Giving up Peru as our “end-all-be-all” expedition was difficult for me at first. It’s been working well for us in many ways, but the truth is not all ways. It took soul searching and some solid financial responsibility to come to terms with the fact that we could be more effective and available for many more girls if we were open to creating a new model.
Our experience in Peru has been wonderful. The people are heartwarming, the service work is challenging and empowering and the mountains have offered us lessons for a lifetime, but when I recounted my own journey of self-discovery in the mountains that changed and inspired me, they were closer to home, and honestly far more wild and untouched.
As an organization, we are more than one tried and true adventure. We knew it was time to take a longer gaze out from the summit we’ve known for the past many years, toward a new direction.
What did we see as we gazed out toward the horizon?
Turns out, a whole lot of beautiful mountains and trails in our amazing country!
I am thrilled that we will be exploring the wild trails of the east coast and the unparalleled, rugged Rocky Mountains in our new program offerings. My call to adventure began as a teenager in the wooded deciduous trails in the northeast and my life was transformed through backpacking in the wilds of Wyoming and Colorado. We have so much to discover and explore right here in our back yard and I feel more inspired than ever to see where the trails lead us in the years to come.
Our new program offerings allow us to continue to be authentic in our mission and expansive in our vision. I also personally adore the idea of our girls falling in love with the wild lands we have in the United States, so they may grow to passionately, powerfully and willfully protect them.
Thank you for your continued support of Wellfit Girls. Click here for more information on the new programs.
Stay in touch and feel free to reach out with questions, comments and feedback. I always love hearing from our community.
Wellness Wishes,
Jill Wheeler