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Hike for Her 2024

Ascend Leadership Through Athletics Annual Hike & Dinner Fundraiser

Join Ascend at beautiful Sky Meadow State Park (Virginia) Saturday, June 1, 2024 to support and elevate the women of Afghanistan and Pakistan. The hike begins and ends at Turner Pond in the park (just off Route 17). Options to hike a 5k route; 10k route; a mini-hike (less than 3 miles) or all 23 miles the park has to offer. Decide day-of how far you want to hike, all registration fees are the same. Those over 12 years old who register before May 15 are guaranteed a t-shirt.

Hike at your own pace, with other participants, or with your team. Bring water, hat and a snack (& rain gear if rain is in the forecast). All proceeds benefit Ascend Leadership Through Athletics.

The hike kicks off at off at 9 am (arrive early to sign in); after party starts at 4 pm (different location). Hikers may begin their hike later than 9 am but all hikers must complete by 3 pm. (Note: Sky Meadows charges $10 parking per vehicle so consider carpooling or come prepared)

In the evening, join us just down the road from the park for a casual gather of food, drinks, and entertainment. Dinner location is at private home near the park; details will be emailed to those who register.

In the event of cancellation due to weather, refunds will not be issued.

You may register to hike as an individual or a team; either way you can create a fundraising donation page and ask your family and friends to support your hike and make a difference in the lives of young women.

Registration fees

Hike Only

Participate in the hike portion of the event only on Saturday, June 1. Check in opens at 8 am; hike kicks off at 9 am. Kids under 12 are FREE but must be accompanied by a parent. T-shirts are included for those 12 and older. To purchase t-shirt for youth or additional t-shirts, visit our store on the registration page.

  1. $60.00
    Jan 25 - Jun 1
    Register for Hike Only

Party Only

Attend only the hike after-party for food, drinks and entertainment on June 1, 2024. Party begins at 4 pm and wraps up at 9 pm. Kids under 12 are FREE but must be accompanied by a parent. T-shirts are included for those 12 and older. To purchase t-shirt for youth or additional t-shirts, visit our store on the registration page.

  1. $60.00
    Jan 25 - Jun 1
    Register for Party Only

Hike and Party

Join us for the hike and after-party, Saturday, June 1! Check in opens at 8 am and the hike kicks off at 9 am with the after-party beginning at 4 pm (location of party is different from that of the hike). Kids under 12 are FREE but must be accompanied by a parent. T-shirts are included for those 12 and older. To purchase t-shirt for youth or additional t-shirts, visit our store on the registration page.

  1. $120.00
    Jan 25 - Jun 1
    Register for Hike and Party

$5000 Invest in HER Sponsor

Make a meaningful investment in young women who face limited opportunity and access by becoming an INVEST IN HER Sponsor with a contribution of $5,000. Your brand will be featured prominently on all event materials, from printed products to digital invites, newsletter and social media posts. Your logo will shine on the back of every event t-shirt, showcasing your commitment to better the lives of young women. Benefit from global exposure and enjoy top billing visibility on Ascend’s website, and receive a special gift from Pakistan or Afghanistan. Your generosity will help inspire others to join our efforts to create opportunities and access for young women in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

  1. $5,000.00
    Jan 25 - Jun 1
    Register for $5000 Invest in HER Sponsor

$2500 Uplift HER Sponsor

Become an UPLIFT HER Sponsor and give her the opportunity to reach her full potential. With a donation of $2,500, your brand will be featured prominently on all event materials, from printed banners to digital invites and social media posts. Your logo will shine on the back of every event t-shirt, showcasing your commitment to better the lives of young women. Benefit from global exposure and enjoy top billing visibility on Ascend’s website.

  1. $2,500.00
    Jan 25 - Jun 1
    Register for $2500 Uplift HER Sponsor

$1000 Help HER Rise Sponsor

Join us as a HELP HER RISE Sponsor and play a key role in raising the voices of young women. With a contribution of $1,000, your logo will be prominently displayed on all digital event materials, including invites, social media posts, and event emails, ensuring widespread and global recognition across online platforms. Additionally, your brand will be featured on the event t-shirt, symbolizing your commitment to uplift young women.

  1. $1,000.00
    Jan 25 - Jun 1
    Register for $1000 Help HER Rise Sponsor

$500 Friend of HER Sponsor

When you generously contribute $500, you become not only become a friend of HER, you demonstrate your commitment as an ally of the organization. You become part of the team, and we can't wait to recognize you during the Hike for HER event, amplifying your support within the Ascend family. Thank you for joining us in empowering young women!

  1. $500.00
    Jan 25 - Jun 1
    Register for $500 Friend of HER Sponsor


The map below shows the 5k route highlighted in yellow. For those wishing for a longer hike, other trails can added on to your route to increase distance. Note: the hike is not a competitive event.

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Your participation in the Hike for Her is important; but did you know you can double, triple and quadruple your impact when you create an individual or team fundraising page and ask family and friends to support your efforts? It's simple to set up and customize your page once you register. Follow the instructions below and if you run into any issues, shoot us an email at kelly.pokharel@ascendathletics.org and we'll help you out.

Individual Fundraising:

Once you have registered yourself, you'll land on your individual fundraising page. Scroll to the bottom right of the page and find the clickable like "edit profile". You can then add your own message and photos. Once you save, you can share the url with friends and family. All they have to do it click the link you send them and they'll go directly to your individual fundraising page.

Alternately, friends and family can go to the main registration page and on the left side of the page click find individual fundraiser. They type your name in the box and are magically transported to your individual fundraising page.


Team Fundraising:

If you are gathering a group of people to either hike or fundraise together (maybe its your colleagues from work or your family) on the registration page, near the bottom will be a question asking if you'd like to create a "team". Check the box to create your team. You'll be asked to enter a team name. Once you complete registration, you should land on your team fundraising page. Scroll to the bottom right of the page and find the clickable like "edit profile". You can then add your own message and photos. Once you save, you can share the url with friends and family. All they have to do it click the link you send them and they'll go directly to your individual fundraising page.

Alternately, friends and family can go to the main registration page and on the left side of the page click "view team". They type your team name in the box, click donate, and follow the instructions to complete their donation.


Trouble?

Forgot to click "create team", decided after the fact that you want a team or individual fundraising page, or just can figure out how to edit your page? We can help! Just send an email to kelly.pokharel@ascendathletics.org and we'll help get you set up.

Coming from out of town? We have a list of places to stay and things to do while in the Winchester/Delaplane area.

Area hotels

Winchester, Virginia is a 30 minute drive from Sky Meadows State Park. It is the closest large city with a wide variety of hotels available. You may also find accommodations in nearby Middlebury, Marshall, Front Royal and Paris, VA. Airbnb, Verbo and Booking also have a variety of homes available in the area.

  • La Quinta Inn & Suites - 1055 Millwood Pike, Winchester, VA

  • Candlewood Suites- 1135 Millwood Pike, Winchester, VA

  • Holiday Inn Winchester SE - 333 Front Royal Pike, Winchester, VA

  • Holiday Inn Express - 142 Foxridge Ln, Winchester, VA

  • Fairfield Inn and Suites - 250 Front Royal Pike, Winchester, VA

  • Hilton Garden Inn - 120 Wingate Dr., Winchester, VA

  • Nancy Shepherd House Inn - 618 S. Loudoun St., Winchester, VA email: davidmcc616@comcast.net; phone: 540-247-5073

  • George Washington Hotel - 103 East Piccadilly St., Winchester, VA

  • Waypoint House - 211 S. Church St., Berryville, VA www.waypointhouse.com

  • Welbourne Inn - 22314 Welbourne Farm Ln., Middleburg, VA

  • The Rooms Up There - 8393 West Main St., Marshall, VA

  • Towneplace Suites by Marriott in Front Royal - 5 Caroline Dr., Front Royal, VA

  • Hampton Inn - 9800 Winchester Rd., Front Royal, VA

  • Ashby Inn & Restaurants - 692 Federal Street, Paris, VA

Campgrounds

  • Watermelon Park campground - 3322 Lockes Mill Rd., Berryville, VA www.watermelonpark.com

  • Bears Den (best campground pick by locals) - 18393 Blueridge Mountain Rd., Bluemont, VA www.bearsdencenter.org phone: 540-554-8708

  • Frog Pond Campground - 1214 Fairfax Pike, White Post, VA

Wineries and Breweries

Local Food

Local Museums and Fun

  • Museum of the Shenandoah Valley, Winchester (Part art and part history museum. They also have beautiful gardens) - https://www.themsv.org/

  • Virginia Beer Museum, Front Royal (If you want to learn about beer in Virginia, look no further) - virginiabeermuseum.com

  • Shenandoah Valley Discovery Museum, Winchester (Children’s museum with fun interactive exhibits) - discoverymuseum.net

  • Patsy Cline Historic House, Winchester (Patsy Cline is from Winchester, VA and if you’re a fan, this is worth a visit) - patsyclinehistorichouse.org

  • Shenandoah Valley Civil War Museum, Winchester (Museum about civil war history) - www.shenandoahatwar.org

  • George Washington’s Office Museum, Winchester (Tiny museum but a must for history enthusiasts) - https://winchesterhistory.org/george-washingtons-office/

  • Josephine School Community Museum, Berryville (Built in 1882 this was the first school built for freed slaves in the area) - https://www.jschoolmuseum.org/

  • National Sporting Library and Museum, Middleburg (Museum celebrating artwork and history of horseback riding) - nationalsporting.org

  • Cedar Creek Battlefield Museum, Middletown (Former civil war battlefield) - https://www.nps.gov/places/ccbf-museum-visitor-center.htm

  • Winchester Walking Mall, Winchester (enjoy the day walking around the walking mall and enjoying the various shops and restaurants there are to offer in the area) - 1 N Loudoun St., Winchester, VA

  • Paris Barns, Paris (historical barn and farm store with local treats) - 1037 Gap Run Rd., Paris, VA phone: 540-216-9636

Contact information

Event contact
Kelly Pokharel
Email
kelly.pokharel@ascendathletics.org
Phone
8152073167
Website
Visit website

Sponsors

  • Help HER Rise Sponsors

  • Friend of HER Sponsors

  • In-Kind Sponsors