"Where there is Love there is Hope" Fundraiser Shirts to support the Hitchcock Woods Foundation

   We would like to introduce to you our newest  "Where there is Love there is Hope" Fundraiser Shirt.
We are so excited and very honored to be able to help raise money to support our beloved Hitchcock Woods here in Aiken, SC. We will be donating $10 for every shirt sold to help support the Hitchcock Woods Foundation.
   Hitchcock Woods (HW) is a S.C. State Heritage Site and one of the largest urban forests in the United States with over 70 miles of sandy trails meandering through 2100 acres of pristine forest. It is almost three times the size of Central Park and is a treasure in beautiful downtown Aiken.  
   The Hitchcock Woods Foundation, a charitable non-profit 501c3, was established in 1939 by the Thomas Hitchcock family to protect and maintain the Woods for the community of Aiken to use and enjoy. In the 1840’s HW was recognized as a place with healing qualities which attracted sickly patients who could benefit from the dry, pine-scented air. Today, many residents and visitors continue to find it a healthy place to ride, hike, walk, run or simply be present and that dry, pine-scented air is always nearby. In addition to its significant scenic, ecological, archaeological and open space values, the Hitchcock Woods also has historical and cultural values of great importance. 
   There is an ongoing restoration of Hitchcock Woods, returning it to the longleaf pine ecosystem it once was. This is currently one of the most endangered ecosystems, and HW now has about 1600 acres of longleaf pines. Prescribed burning is being utilized to help preserve and improve the overall health and diversity of the forest and protect the surrounding community of Aiken.
   This revitalization effort has aided in increasing the biodiversity of Hitchcock Woods which is home to over 160 different species of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and vascular plants. There are a number of rare or endangered species that can be found there such as the Red-cockaded Woodpecker (federally endangered), the Eastern fox squirrel and the state-threatened plants such as the Nestronia umbellula also known as Indian Olive. Over the past 4 years, the federally endangered Red-cockaded Woodpecker was reintroduced into the HW after being totally absent for decades. They are now thriving there. 
The Hitchcock Woods is a vast, peaceful and healing sanctuary inviting all to escape the stress, anxiety and vulnerability  we may be feeling during this unsettling time.
Thanks to our generous donors and sponsors, Hitchcock Woods has been able to remain.  More information available at  https://www.hitchcockwoods.org/