Stepping Up for a Legend: The Grandma Gatewood Statue Challenge Is On!
The trail is cleared, the boots are laced, and our peer-to-peer fundraising challenge is officially live! We are partnering with Eden Valley Enterprises for a secure, tax-deductible crowdfunding campaign on Givebutter to honor an absolute American icon: Emma "Grandma" Gatewood.
Grandma Gatewood was the first woman to solo thru-hike the entire 2,050+ mile Appalachian Trail in a single season, completing the 1955 trek at age 67 in simple sneakers. We have set a $190,000 fundraising goal to create two life-size bronze Emma Gatewood statues. Join our live Team Leaderboard, rally your crew, and see who can claim the top trail leader title!
Where the Emma Gatewood Bronze Statues Will Be Placed
Acclaimed sculptor Bridgette Mongeon is designing two identical, life-size bronze masterpieces capturing Grandma Gatewood in motion. You can preview the design pose at the official Grandma Gatewood Statue Project website.
Your support helps correct a major historical imbalance—less than 8% of public statues in the U.S. honor real women. These monuments will find permanent homes at two meaningful destinations:
Statue Location
Ohio Valley Memory Gardens
(Gallipolis, Ohio)
Placed directly at her final resting place in her home county to honor her deep roots.
Mountain Crossings at Neel Gap
(Mile 31 of the Appalachian Trail, Georgia)
Installed at an iconic AT outpost with the support of the North Georgia Mountain Authority to inspire future thru-hikers.
Join our live Team Leaderboard, rally your crew, and see who can claim the top trail leader title!
Step-by-Step: How to Use the Team Leaderboard
Head to our official campaign page at GiveButter.com/GrandmaGatewood and choose your path:
Option A: Donate Outright (Direct Support)
- Click the Donate button on the main campaign page.
- Select your donation amount and choose your secure payment method (Credit Card, Venmo, or PayPal).
- Complete your payment to send funds directly to the general statue project pool.
Option B: Contribute to an Existing Team
- Scroll down the main page to the active Team Leaderboard section.
- Click on the specific team designation you want to support.
- Click Donate while viewing that team profile to credit your transaction directly to their leaderboard tally.
Option C: Create Your Own Team
- Click the Become a fundraiser button on the campaign page.
- Create a quick, free GiveButter account to set up your team profile.
- Name your team, set a custom group fundraising goal, and invite your network to climb the ranks together.
Make an Impact: Share & Challenge Others!
Share Your Unique Link: Copy the custom team or individual URL generated after checkout and share it via text, email, or social media updates.
Issue a Friendly Challenge: Publicly tag rival hiking groups, states or neighboring clubs, or family members to see if they can match your donation or beat your leaderboard position.
Post Your Trail Pics: Add photos of your own hiking adventures to your social updates. Share what Grandma Gatewood’s resilience means to you—your stories directly fuel the sculptor's creative energy in the studio!
Click here to join the challenge and donate today at givebutter.com
