We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kitty Gayner a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Kitty, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

At Women of the Triangle Hiking Club, we aim to foster connection between women by connecting them with nature. The power of community and shared experiences is powerful, and when we harness that magic and share it outward, it comes back to us tenfold. That’s been my personal experience and a story I’ve witnessed over 7,000 times in the last three years.

Our mission was birthed in a gloomy place. I was feeling the sting of Covid, plus a detrimental heartbreak and a dramatic relocation. Throw in losing my job and most of my friends, and you’ve got a recipe for a nonprofit – ? Not exactly, but that’s how we got here, nonetheless.

Seeking connection and an affordable distraction from my reality, I created Women of the Triangle Hiking Club the same day I moved across the country and started my life over.

When I arrived in Raleigh, I knew I needed to find friends—really good friends—if I was going to be OK on my own. I had no idea that starting a group on Facebook would lead me here today, but I found a lot more than just new friends.

I created a space to connect with women over something I knew many of us love: nature and hiking. I was all in when I realized that the type of women who show up to this sort of thing are women who take their life into their own hands. I wanted to be like them, and I had heard that you become most like the people you spend the most time with. Our mission was inspired by allowing women to find that space and soak it in the way I got to, too.

While Women of the Triangle Hiking Club gives its members space and opportunity to go on their own journeys, it also gives my life purpose. It has brought me so much comfort and companionship, and I’ll continue to be humbled by its growth and impact.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m Kitty, a Michigan girl on an NC adventure. Having moved many times, I am proud to call the South my favorite home so far. I live with my two cats and spend my time running, creating art, cooking delicious meals, and attending as many parties as possible!

I was not outdoorsy growing up, and I discovered the hobby when I realized all it took to claim the “hiker” title with just a pair of shoes and a dirt path. I became enamored by the effects on my mental health and the challenges I created for myself, like hitting specific mileage or elevation goals. I have always been passionate about affordable access to healthy hobbies, and running a hiking group fits well with my type-A personality and my passion for empowering women.

My background is unrelated to nonprofit development or outdoorsmanship, but this pasty artist-turned-board president credits my adaptability to the amazing women I’ve met in this organization. I plan to keep honing my nonprofit skills as we grow our programs, seek grant funding, and recruit salaried employees. Our payroll is a testament to our team’s passion: Every single team member donates their time and skills to WOTTHC out of the goodness of their heart. I am most proud of having gathered those powerful and generous women in one place and leveraged their genius to build this organization from the ground up.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

When WOTTHC became a nonprofit in October 2021, I struggled to hold volunteers accountable. I fumbled through your classic “buddy-to-boss” dynamics and regrettably lost friends over it. It got so bad that our board only had two people on it. This meant I was overseeing 99% of operations by myself, in addition to my day job and personal life. I was drowning, literally losing my hair, and emotionally distressed about where to even begin looking for help.

In February 2022, I was advised to quit. I absolutely hated hearing that. Because of that suggestion to throw in the towel, I doubled down. I swallowed my pride and got really vulnerable with my team. I told them we would be done if I didn’t get more help by that summer. Help immediately came out of the woodwork, and I recruited our first HR director. She was pivotal in helping fill multiple open positions, ultimately catapulting WOTTHC from a drowning start-up to a legitimate organization. One year after that, we were hosting our 3-year anniversary picnic, and I found myself holding a microphone in front of a crowd and realizing that we weren’t anywhere near “done.”

We now have a board of nine working directors who are the strongest volunteers I have ever seen. They have grown me tremendously as a leader. I will forever be grateful to those who gave me such grace to learn, and to those who have stuck with me from the messy beginning. So here’s to ignoring the people who tell you to quit!

How do you keep your team’s morale high?

1. Say “F it” a lot and laugh with your team.
2. Let distractions play out. Sometimes that’s where the solution is anyway.
3. Set the table for guests who are smarter than you. Admit when you don’t know something and ask for help when you need it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.wotthc.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/womenofthetrianglehikingclub/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/womenofthetrianglehikingclub
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wotthc/

Image Credits

LindseyWarrenPhoto.com