Press release from FIND Outdoors
FIND Outdoors, a 49-year-old local nonprofit with a mission of education and recreation on public lands, will host the annual fundraising event “Hunter Subaru Cradle to Grave 30K and 10K” to benefit the Cradle of Forestry on Sept. 18, 2021.
“This is the largest fundraising event that FIND Outdoors holds each year for the Cradle of Forestry,” stated Christy Ralston, Cradle of Forestry manager. “Being able to offer this amazing opportunity to our visitors and the community in-person this year is absolutely huge for us!”
Nestled in the Pink Beds Valley within Pisgah National Forest, the Cradle of Forestry is the birthplace of science-based forest management dating back to the time of George and Edith Vanderbilt and the Biltmore Forest School. Today, this premier western NC destination is jointly managed by the U.S. Forest Service and FIND Outdoors and sits along highway 276, a North Carolina Scenic Byway. The Cradle to Grave 30K and 10K gives participants the chance to travel back in time and experience these pristine forests through two separate races.
“This is such an amazing opportunity for anyone who loves trail running but isn’t necessarily an ultra-runner,” exclaimed race director Erin Roof of Grit Endurance. “The 10K is the perfect length and terrain for experiencing these incredible trails within Pisgah, while the 30K offers competitors a challenging course that all culminates with an unbelievable view at the race destination atop Slate Rock.”
The race, a staple in the Pisgah Forest and Brevard area since 2013, offers adventure-seekers breathtaking scenery, cooler temperatures, views and an opportunity to support a local nonprofit – all within a site that dates back to the time of the Biltmore Estate and the legacy of the Vanderbilt family.
“This event is unique for this area,” stated Roof of the chance to participate in the Cradle to Grave race. “At the end of it all, we’ll be handing out overall awards, overall master’s awards, and age group awards – 3-deep every five years. This combination is coveted in the racing community and will be highly sought-after.”
One hundred percent of the proceeds collected for the Cradle to Grave race will help to bring additions to the growing docket of Cradle programs and exhibits – including the Citizen Science lab for budding young scientists. The Lab, funded by a series of generous grants from the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, is a new hands-on experience that allows visitors to collect data on the ecology of the Pink Beds Valley and enter it onto a database for students to use on a global scale.
The addition of new exhibits and signage to the Cradle’s exhibit hall and interpretive trails will also coincide with structural repairs and maintenance projects that will help to beautify and enhance the visitor experience when they visit the site.
“All of these improvements and additions will work uniformly to create an amazing experience for our visitors moving forward, “ concluded Ralston. “We couldn’t be happier to be a part of this project with the Pisgah Ranger District.”
The Hunter Subaru Cradle to Grave Race will be held Saturday, Sept. 18 at the Cradle of Forestry on highway 276, approximately 11 miles from the entrance to Pisgah National Forest. The 30k will begin at 8:00a.m, with the 10k following shortly after at 8:30am. For more information and to register for this important fundraising event, please visit www.gofindoutdoors.org/cradle-to-grave.
About FIND Outdoors
FIND Outdoors, formerly the Cradle of Forestry in America Interpretive Association, is a 49-year- old 501(c)3 nonprofit based in Pisgah Forest, N.C. We serve over 850,000 visitors annually with a mission that promotes educational, recreational and interpretive opportunities about forest and water resources, natural history and the Cradle of Forestry in America. FIND Outdoors proudly manages campgrounds, visitor centers, sales outlets and educational facilities in four national forests in North Carolina, Georgia and Indiana and the Northwest Trade Post on the Blue Ridge Parkway. FIND accomplishes its mission by providing exceptional outdoor experiences through partnership opportunities for the health, safety and education of all visitors to local and regional public and private lands.
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