Givers of Hope By Anna Lisa Stump
Ayla Crawley
A
yla Crawley is a name you may see again soon. This motivated tenyear-old is the force behind the recently crafted Givers of Hope movement so that she could, “make a change in the world.” Alongside her supportive parents, Ryan and Jenna, Ayla is living her passion for helping others. Ayla’s dad Ryan stated assuredly, “She has always wanted to help people…she’s a caring person who goes out of her way to help.” When Ayla was five, summer adventures included running a lemonade stand, but with humanitarian goals. The idea was to support the mission of the Hospitality House, a Boone NC-based regional nonprofit homeless services agency, by donating the stand’s profits to the cause. Ayla’s perfect family recipe and dedication to the cause raised $123, which went directly to the Hospitality House. From there, her passion for providing hope only grew. Today, she prepares for fifth grade, tomorrow she considers what’s next for her inspiring movement. In true team form, the Givers of Hope logo displays a flourishing tree complete with three people woven together in the strong trunk. This symbolic image stands to represent the strength in working together, specifically in the effort to provide hope to those in need. As Ayla realized, “Together we can make a big difference in the world.” She explained, “We do things for people and nature,” as she thoughtfully responded to how the logo was created. Their thoughtfulness is also reflected in the mission statement as they “try to help the planet and people in need by making rainbows in someone’s storm and just helping the world to be a better place!” Putting their mission into action, the Crawley family recently completed a 102.2
mile hike on the Appalachian Trail (AT), a venture backed by several businesses and the greater local community, to raise money for Givers of Hope. Ayla used much of her summer break to plan and train for this endeavor. In addition to running, weight lifting and practice hikes with weighteddown backpacks, last year’s family hike of 76.2 miles on the Foothills trail helped prepare the ambitious three for their latest expedition. Ayla was thrilled to train with and use her Osprey backpack, which required zero modifications because it was designed for kids! She and her parents were ecstatic to be outfitted by Osprey for the AT trek, and further encouraged when four additional backpacks were offered by the company for a public auction, one component of the family’s fundraising efforts. All auction proceeds went towards the Crawleys’ goal of $3,000. When this admirable fundraising goal was reached before the hike even began, Givers of Hope decided to double the original amount, which was also exceeded. Those who wanted to help sponsor the hike on the AT could do so with each passing mile as Ayla trekked along the beautiful and sometimes challenging trails. With each mile sponsored, the weight of the hike went beyond the contents in their backpacks. Ryan Crawley proudly reminisced about his daughter’s endurance, particularly considering, “the Shenandoah Valley was in a really bad drought with no water for 12-and-a-half miles. You literally could not camp in that 12-and-a-half-mile zone because you need water to cook dinner, and for breakfast . . .” This particular day trek was longer and more challenging than the average daily mileage, yet, Ayla and her parents completed the trek by 1:30 p.m. Passing families and hikers, in addition to
Ayla, Ryan and Jenna Crawley
the crowd of supporters at home, cheered them on. From Ayla’s perspective, “It was extra pressure on the trail, all these people are counting on us to go their [sponsored] mile. That was also one of the things that pushed me through the really hard times. It was amazing, honestly.” Simply being outside in nature added to her contentment and drive. “In the wilderness…you kind of just get to be yourself because there are no boundaries.” This perspective on life and nature lends a helping hand to the Givers of Hope as they continue to develop fundraisers and adventures in the name of helping others. This past summer, the Givers of Hope movement raised more than $7,000 for the Hospitality House in Boone, and the Crawley family is resting in the good memories of their AT experience. Of course, hints of what next summer may hold are whispering in their ears. Until then, may we all be inspired to be our own versions of givers of hope in our community. https://giversofhope.com/ Since 1984, the Hospitality House in Boone has existed to “enable the transition from crisis to stability, poverty to sustainability, and homelessness to housing.” The organization works with individuals throughout seven counties (Watauga, Avery, Wilkes, Ashe, Alleghany, Mitchell, and Yancey) to provide a healthy environment infused with compassion, dignity, and creativity. In addition to supporting Givers of Hope, you can support the Hospitality House directly by participating in a future “Turkey Trot,” the organization’s annual fall fundraiser and the largest 5k in the High Country (www.hosphouse.org/turkeytrot), or by purchasing this year’s Honor Card during the holiday season (www.hosphouse. org/honorcard). CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Autumn 2021 —
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