Episode #236 - Sandi Marra (President and CEO of the ATC)
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Steve Adams
4.8 • 599 Ratings
🗓️ 17 September 2020
⏱️ 84 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
This week, we have Sandi Marra on the show. Sandi is the President and CEO of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and has had to make some tough decisions during the 2020 hiking season. With a longtime love of hiking and volunteerism, Sandi combined both to give most of her life to the Appalachian Trail and its hikers. I wanted to bring her on to the show to find out the thought processes behind the 2020 closures, and she responded with thoughtful and decisive answers.
Typically, her choice of links to share with listeners is illuminating. If you want to find out more about the Conservancy, go to https://appalachiantrail.org/.
If you want to help, either through volunteering with or joining the organization, go to https://appalachiantrail.org/get-involved/volunteer/ or https://donate.appalachiantrail.org/default.aspx?tsid=7709.
Mr President is fast discovering the joys of Pennsylvania, delighted that he invested in a fresh pair of shoes before he hit the state. He met up with two old friends and even met a listener.
Fozzie's Balancing on Blue reaches the magnificent Virginia Triple Crown of Dragon's Tooth, McAfee Knob, and Tinker Cliffs. He also bumps into a stranger in need and steps up to help.
This week, I got a wonderful surprise in the shape of a beautiful map from a listener, Don Robinson. Listen to how this all developed in the show, but check out https://www.redeftmapping.com/. You won't be disappointed!!
If you like what we're doing on the Hiking Radio Network, and want to see our shows continue, please consider supporting us with either a one-off or monthly donation. You'll find the donate button on each Hiking Radio Network page at https://www.hikingradionetwork.com
Any support is gratefully received.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | You are listening to the Hiking Radio Network, where we talk the walk with shows by hikers |
| 0:05.2 | about hikers for everybody. Mighty Blue on the Appalachian Trail, the ultimate midlife crisis, joins Stephen his guests every week as he staggers from Georgia to Maine. |
| 0:34.0 | Hi everybody and thanks for coming back to the show. You're listening to Mighty Blue on the Appalachian Trail, the ultimate midlife crisis |
| 0:40.7 | and I am Mighty Blue or Steve Adams. |
| 0:43.5 | This week we're lucky enough to have Sandy Mara on the show. |
| 0:46.7 | Sandy's the president and CEO of the Appalachian Trial Conservancy |
| 0:49.7 | and for her and the whole hiking community, this has been an awful year. |
| 0:55.2 | I want to Sandy to come on and share with you all some of the rationale that she and the ATC board used in the decisions they have taken this year. |
| 1:02.6 | Those decisions haven't always been popular in the community and I wanted to find out directly from her how they were taken. |
| 1:09.0 | I also wanted to learn a little more about Sandy's own hiking experience |
| 1:12.5 | and her terrific record of volunteerism. |
| 1:15.7 | I'm sure she's tough enough to take it, |
| 1:17.5 | but some of the vitrioles spilled on Facebook |
| 1:19.7 | and other parts of social media |
| 1:21.6 | has been directed personally towards her |
| 1:23.6 | and I wanted to give as wide a view of activities as possible |
| 1:26.4 | to give you all a greater |
| 1:27.7 | perspective on her and her views. Sandy will be along shortly. Bill Tickner or Mr. President |
| 1:33.8 | is finding out exactly why Pennsylvania is right up there on hikers' lists as, let's say, |
| 1:39.5 | one of the least prefers dates. That being said, he does meet up with some old friends and he happens upon |
| 1:45.4 | a listener to the show. Bill will be on after Sandy. Finally, Fuzzy shows his humanity to a fellow |
| 1:52.1 | hiker in distress. I found myself gripped as I was reading this part of the story. It is so well |
... |
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