project leader
Ken N
location
167th and Edgecombe Ave
Manhattan (Parks throughout northern Manhattan)
latest update rss
Only 20 days to go!

the project

On June 1, 2013, CLIMB (City Life Is Moving Bodies) and its community partners will host Hike the Heights 9. This is an annual volunteer-planned and run community event that links 2,000+ local residents with their beautiful parks in Northern Manhattan, including “Giraffe Path,” a trail that connects 7 parks and surrounding neighborhoods. The event brings together people of all ages for hiking and a community party with arts, games, healthy food, and active fun in their parks.

We connect people with the parks in their communities. Hike the Heights shows local residents the natural resources that exist in their own back yard to encourage them to engage with and use the parks, making them safer for everyone.

We build community through the arts.  In preparation for the event, local children from Head Start groups, pediatric clinical facilities, and local schools work with CLIMB and our community partners to create giraffe statues from recycled materials.  On the day of the event, these giraffes decorate the parks and line the hiking trails, lending a playful feel to the volunteer-led tours through parks previously marked by violence.  

We promote environmental stewardship.  Before Hike the Heights, CLIMB and its partners host park clean-up and trail maintenance days so local residents can give back to the parks that give them so much.

All of the activities of Hike the Heights are only possible with the generous support of people like you.  So please, donate, volunteer, and join us for Hike the Heights 9!

Giving Rewards

We know that you have many causes that you can choose to support, and so are thankful and honored that you have chosen ours.  In recognition of your generous gift, we would like to give something back to you.  Individuals who choose to donate to our campaign will be given the option of receiving the following tokens of gratitude:

  • $500  Individuals who donate $500+ will be awarded a specially-made giraffe statue as a thank you for your support of our work.
  • $200  Individuals who donate $200-$499 will receive a copy of Nancercize, a book written by one of our coalition members about how to use parks for cardio and strength-training exercise.
  • $50  Individuals who donate $50-$199 will receive a Hike the Heights t-shirt or backpack.
  • $25  Individuals who contribute $25-$49 will receive a Hike the Heights button.

All donors will receive special recognition at our event on June 1st.  All prizes can be claimed on the day of the event and, if you are unable to join us in person, will be mailed the following week.

the steps

  • conduct outreach to past and new community partners

  • host collaborative event planning meetings to plan, arrange and hold the hikes and community parties in the parks
  • recruit past and new sites for children’s giraffe making workshops, and coordinate these trainings 
  • hold park clean-up days to remove litter and maintain trails
  • set-up the Giraffe Path installation
  • celebrate the vibrant Northern Manhattan communities and parks at our June 1st event!

why we're doing it

Open spaces and parks in large urban areas are invaluable. The diverse residents who use these spaces – from toddlers to seniors, joggers to strollers – enhance their quality and vibrancy. Northern Manhattan has an extensive network of paved and unpaved park trails that can take a hiker from 110th street to 218th street through beautiful urban parks and past breathtaking natural vistas. Community partners lovingly refer to the network of trails as the "Giraffe Path" because, on a map, the parks form a green giraffe-shaped oasis where local residents can escape the hustle and bustle of city life.

Unfortunately, many of these trails have been forgotten by locals who retreated from parks during the epidemic of violence that plagued Northern Manhattan in the 1980s and early 1990s.  Volunteer groups and the City Parks Department have brought these parks and surrounding neighborhoods a long way on the path to restoration and, though some additional maintenance work is required, what these spaces needed now is increased foot traffic (and bike, rollerblade, wheelchair, & stroller traffic as well!).  Neighbors and visitors must be invited to come out and learn about these trails. We have found that once residents learn about their parks, they fall in love with the trails and are more likely to be involved in park stewardship and other community volunteer activities.

For more information about Hike the Heights, please:
Visit our website: www.hiketheheights.org
Watch this video: http://www.streetfilms.org/hike-the-heights/ 
Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/HiketheHeights 

budget

Tables and Chairs Rental $1,200 (donated!)

Portable Restroom Rental $600 (paid for!)

Food Vendor $800

Food for the Community Party $7,000 ($4,000 donated!)

Event t-shirts for children and buttons for adults $3,000 (donated!)

SUBTOTAL = $3,800
 


SUBTOTAL = $3,800
ioby Platform Fee  $35
ioby Fiscal Sponsorship Fee (5%) $190
3rd Party Credit Card Processing Fee (3%) $114
TOTAL TO RAISE = $4,139

 

updates

Only 20 days to go!

Dear Friends of Hike the Heights,

With only 20 days until the event, we are ecstatic about the outpouring of support we have received not only from you, our individual donors, but also from community partners. We are pleased to announce the following sponsorships:

- Citizen's Committee for New York City has awarded our project a $3,000 grant.

- Partnerships for Parks awarded CLIMB and Hike the Heights a $1,500 grant for t-shirts.

- Columbia's Center for Children's Environmental Health has contributed $1,000 to the program.

- Greater Community Reach (Columbia University) has donated $600 to the project.

- Individual donors have donated enough funding to pay for our buttons and promotional materials.

Additionally, our many community partners are donating tables, chairs, food, water, and their time and talents to make sure all participants are fed and have the opportunity to engage in fun, health-promoting activities.

We still have a way to go, but because of generous individuals like you and our event partners, we are within reach of our goal!

With sincere gratitude,
The Hike the Heights Team

photos

This is where photos will go once we build flickr integration

donors

  • Anonymous
  • Eric N.
  • Anonymous
  • Jill R.
  • Nancy H.
  • Arleen L.
  • Charlene R.
  • Luz B.
  • Cheryl P.
  • Jose A.
  • Claudia C.
  • Jennifer N.
  • Caroline S.
  • Chiho S.
  • Young W.
  • William C.
  • Robert G.
  • Kara L.
  • Kenneth N.
  • Keletso M.
  • Brenda & Umzima E.
  • Sandra S.
  • Nancy B.
  • Christian G.
  • Dale W.
  • Kari S.
  • Lindsey W.