kristin hochmuth fundraising for The GOALS Vertical Challenge Fund Raising Team

I support GOALS (Get Outside And Learn Something), a Colorado charity that provides unique outdoor education opportunities for kids in the form of multi-day wilderness river trips. GOALS river programs are so much more than "just another river trip." Kids who get a chance to spend 3-5 days in the canyon with GOALS learn to put away their video games and disconnect from the confinements of electronic media- pushing themselves both physically and mentally, learning to trust one another, and ultimately recognizing the growth that occurs both individually and collectively between the put-in and the take-out. Kids walk away from GOALS programs with an increased sense of confidence and comfort outdoors, a knowledge of the difference between healthy risks and unhealthy risks, and an understanding of the importance of conservation. All of these lessons are important to me, and I'm glad that GOALS exists to share them with our youngest generation. Therefore, I'll be skiing in the 2nd annual GOALS Vertical Challenge event on March 10th, 2012 at Loveland Ski Area. This is the second year of the event, and in 2011 GOALS raised almost $20,000 that went directly into improving and expanding their programs. This year, they're aiming to double that amount and generate $40,000 in pledges. They're doing so in order to keep up with the growing demand for GOALS wilderness river programs - there are already more than twice as many groups signed up for 2012 trips as there were in 2011! I'm proud to support this organization, and believe in the impact that their meaningful experiential education programs have on the kids who are lucky enough to take part. I look forward to helping GOALS achieve their $40,000 goal, but can't do it without your help. I've set my own goal to $1,000, and hope that you'll make a tax-deductible donation to help me get there. Every donation makes a difference - both in my fund raising and in the lives of the kids you're ultimately supporting!