Siblings Haley and Ethan Maurice have big plans for the summer, and they involve an excellent adventure in a truly wild and beautiful place. While most teenagers will be spending their summer break enjoying some downtime with friends and family, this brother and sister team will be backpacking across the Sierra Madre Mountains in California, while attempting to raise a significant amount of funds for a cause that is near and dear to their hearts.
On July 16, 15-year old Haley, and 22-year old Ethan, will start a 221-mile (355 km) trek that begins in Yosemite National Park and ends at the summit of Mt. Whitney, the tallest peak in the continental United States. While out on the trail, they hope to raise $1000 for every mile that they hike, with all of the money going to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF).
As I mentioned, this is an organization that is incredibly important to the Maurice family, and Haley in particular. She has been a Type 1 diabetic since the age of 8, and while she has learned to live with the disease, there are still steps that can be made towards reaching a cure. Haley hopes that by raising these funs for the JDRF, she can help them reach their goal of finding that cure just a bit sooner.
The video below gives you more information about their backpacking expedition, and introduces you to both Haley and Ethan as well. You’ll be able to follow their progress on their official website, where you can also donate to the cause, or even start your own fund raising efforts as well.
Good luck to Haley and Ethan. I’m always a fan of adventure for a good cause!
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