Old Fort Strong Endurance Festival

The trails of Old Fort are more than just a place to me—they’re my sanctuary, my second home. Every weekend, I escape to those woods, finding peace, challenge, and inspiration on the trails. Whether having the best or most challenging day, Old Fort is always there for me. It’s where I’ve formed deep, lasting friendships, cheered on others as they’ve achieved their dreams, and discovered my own strength, both as an athlete and a person. It’s also the place where I found clarity about my future, inspiring me to pursue a doctorate in sports psychology after pushing my limits beyond what I ever thought possible.

But now, in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, the Old Fort community is in ruins. The devastation is hard to comprehend, and it breaks my heart to see a place so close to me, and to so many others, in such pain. While I can't fully understand the losses the locals have faced, the images and stories are gut-wrenching—the landscape and homes we love are unrecognizable. Yet, amidst this tragedy, there is something we can do. We can rally together and help those who lost everything, many without the insurance, to rebuild their homes.

As I prepare for the upcoming 24-hour run, I plan to push my limits to run 100 miles for these people, knowing the challenges I face are nothing compared to what they are going through. I’m asking you to consider donating to support the people of Old Fort. The Old Fort Strong Fund is dedicated to helping support community members in Old Fort, NC who have lost their homes or had significant damage to their homes and will not receive any help to pay for rebuilding from insurance.  Due to the massive flooding that took place outside of historic flood zones, many homes did not have flood insurance to cover this cost.  In total 50+ homes were lost in McDowell County alone.  Our goal is to raise $2,000,000 from this event alone to help in this cause.  All the money you raise goes directly to helping those in need in our community.  This fund is managed by Camp Grier, a 501c3 organization that has been on the front lines of helping the Old Fort community since the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.  If there’s one thing I know about our ultrarunning community, it’s that we go the extra mile for causes we care about. Together, we can make a difference in helping Old Fort heal and rebuild.