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History of the Women's Outdoor Memorial Gatherings

Written by Nina S. Roberts, originally published in the AEE Horizon, with updates by Brenda Porter.

 
Organized by the AEE Women's Professional Group (WPG), Take Back the Trails (TBTT) was a major national initiative that was sparked following the tragic murders of two young outdoor female enthusiasts, Julianne Williams and Laura "Lollie" Winans in the spring of 1996.


In 2005, the WPG will continue the efforts creating a new initiative: Women?s Outdoor Memorial Gatherings.  We intend this to be an annual event on Memorial Day Weekend, with a focus on local activities sponsored by and for women.  This year our event subtitle is ?Safe, Smart, and Sassy? intended to celebrate women?s experience in the out-of-doors.


Background Information

Julie Williams, 24, from Minnesota, and Lollie Winans, 26, from Maine, were on a personal hiking/camping trip along the Appalachian Trail (AT) in Shenandoah National Park on Memorial Weekend 1996 when they were slain by an unknown assailant. They were both avid outdoorswomen who were dedicated to enhancing their outdoor expertise and leadership skills. They met while studying to become trip leaders at now defunct Woodswomen, Inc. in Minneapolis in 1995, and had been living in Burlington, Vermont. Shortly after the murders, several groups on the East Coast held memorial services including a memorial hike in Virginia near the women's tent site. The murders were a mystery, and raised concern about the safety of all people in the nation's forests and parks.


At the time of the writing of this story, Darrell Rice was indicted for the slayings of Julie and Lollie and the Justice Department announced that "the defendant targeted them because he believed they were gay and deserved to die because they were lesbians." Charges against Rice were dropped in 2004.

 
TBTT Initiative and Goals

The outdoors is a place we go to overcome stress, find relaxation, improve our self-concept, or just simply enjoy the experience and be surrounded by the natural environment. There are inherent dangers and safety issues which accompany every outdoor pursuit, however, on (or near) the Appalachian Trail (AT), nine people had been murdered in the twenty years prior to 1997. Considering there have been 22 million visitors to the AT since 1974, this phenomenon is extremely rare. Nonetheless, people across the country were outraged by the murders of these two women, and so the WPG decided to be proactive.


There were many reasons leaders within the WPG wanted to move forward with this national initiative. With the support of the AEE Staff and Board of Directors, the following goals guided this project that culminated in the events on Memorial Weekend (MW) 1997:

*To recognize the deaths, violence, harassment, etc. that have occurred to ANY women in the outdoors, and to engage in a positive and inspiring crusade towards ending violence against women in general. This national initiative was dependent on grassroots efforts at the state level.

*For 30,000 (or more!) women across the country to hike, backpack, and/or camp along the trails of this nation's forests and parks during MW 97. If we were to break this down, that's only 600 women per state.

*For women to get out on the trails in whatever way is most comfortable: whether solo, with small groups of friends, in large organized groups, or with a club, outdoor organization, etc. Regardless of how this took place, the message was critical and the impact was intense.

 

We believed these goals were attainable and encouraged people to get outdoors for one day, the entire weekend, or a week. It was up to individuals or local organizers to make it happen.  As stated by Sandy Mara (Potomac Appalachian Trail Club) in a 1997 personal interview: "You just can't live your life in fear. It just doesn't seem fair to let the criminals take even our willingness to go and do what we love the most away from us, regardless of the danger, whether it's real or perceived." An extensive action plan was developed by a small group of WPG leaders and approved by AEE. This included a full-scale press kit with posters, flyers, model newspaper articles, etc. Special thanks to Colette Roberts (mother of TBTT Coordinator, Nina Roberts), for donating her graphic arts talent and services in designing the logo and developing most of the materials.
 

Highlights: Memorial Weekend ?97

Given the global impact of this incident, the initiative did not just occur in the USA. This became international news with activities occurring as far away as New Zealand and Australia! There were two websites: one managed by staff at the Princeton Outdoor Program (thanks again to Rick Curtis) and a second site was designed and managed by folks at Carleton College in MN, Julianne's alma mater. Many links from organizations across the globe were connected to these sites as well. Because this was a national initiative, one goal was to have at least one contact person in 50% of the states across the country. By Memorial Weekend, of the actual 1997 initiative, there were 48 contact people in 33 states. Thanks to everyone involved for helping exceed this goal. Thousands of women and men were deeply engaged and committed by organizing events and spreading the word through marketing our objectives that were intended to be long-term overall.


Nearly 30 major colleges and universities coast to coast, mostly through the outdoor programs or women's studies departments, organized or hosted activities. T-shirts were printed and sold across the country: thanks to Margaret Lechner, former Wilderness Program Director at Earlham College, and her students for handling this for us. This was a huge undertaking and turned out to be a valuable fundraiser contributing to the success of this initiative.

In addition to thousands of private individual hikes and camping trips, many wonderful organized activities occurred on this weekend.  Examples were as follows: organized discussion groups pertaining to women's safety in the wilderness (e.g., fear, solo hikes, protection); women's self-defense workshops; ceremonial activities with teens; a safety pamphlet prepared and distributed nationally; a letter sent to President Clinton by a graduate student at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; and a booth that was set up at the National Organization for Women Conference in Utah which included information about this initiative and women outdoors.


More than 15 television and radio stations across the country picked up this story, over 50 newspapers in several major cities (and a multitude of small towns) wrote articles about this initiative, and nearly a dozen magazines and over 20 organizational newsletters wrote stories to assist with providing exposure and encouraging individuals to participate.

 
Two additional outcomes of this initiative were extremely valuable:


1)   Six different scholarship funds were established as a result of this project; and,


2) An important empirical study at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, further propelled the issues of fear and increasing safety for women into the national parks and outdoor recreation arena (e.g., leadership, participation, law enforcement).


Criminal Case Information

The case continues to be under investigation, as of March 2005.  

On April 10, 2002, after nearly six years of investigation, Darrell Rice, 34, was indicted in the deaths of Julie Williams and Lollie Winans. Rice faced four federal capital murder charges; two of them brought because authorities considered the slayings to be hate crimes. However, on February 6, 2004 the charges were dropped against Rice because the DNA in five hairs found at the crime scene, believed to be tied to the murders, did not match his.


As noted in the Washington Post, from an Associated Press writer: "?Federal authorities had automatic jurisdiction in the case because the slayings took place on U.S. government land. A federal hate-crimes law covers race and religion, but not sex or sexual orientation; an effort to add those categories failed two years ago. The Justice Department was able to push for a hate-crimes type of indictment in this case, however, because sentencing guidelines permitted a harsher punishment if a crime was motivated by sexual orientation. Rice was charged with four counts of capital murder? Attorney General John Ashcroft said that if convicted of any of the charges, Rice could face the death penalty. 'The volatile, poisonous mixture of hatred and violence will not go unchallenged in the American system of justice,' said Ashcroft, after meeting with the families of the victims."
 

Into the Future

The question as to whether TBTT was going to be an "annual event" surfaced repeatedly over the course of many months during both planning stages and following Memorial Weekend 1997. The answer was no. TBTT has not been an annual event for the Women's Professional Group of AEE. However, an important message we sent was that this is not the end, rather it is just the beginning.
 

However, in 2004, the Women?s Professional Group decided to create a specific initiative to encourage on-going grass-roots efforts across the country and around the globe. We have named this effort "Women?s Outdoor Memorial Gatherings", to be held each Memorial Day Weekend for years to come.
 
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Pro-Action in the Wake of Tragedy

By Marty O?Keefe

(Originally published in the Women?s Professional Group Newsletter, Fall, 1996)

Lollie Winans, age 26 and Julie Williams, 24 were murdered on the Appalachian Trail in the Shenandoah National Park, in Virginia. You don't have to have known either woman to feel disbelief, outrage, anger, fear, sadness, shattered sacredness of the wilderness, and any other number of emotions.

I did know Lollie. She was a student of mine in college. She was coming into her own as an outdoors person, as a young women today searching for a way to make a difference in what she did. She struggled with some big issues and questions when I knew her. She wasn't afraid to ask hard questions, even if she wasn't always ready to know some of the answers. She was excited about life and all it had in store for her. That enthusiasm and zest was cut short...way too short.

Part of my own coming to terms with Lollie and Julie's deaths has involved a need to be proactive. I received a phone call from an old friend and colleague this summer; someone who also knew Lollie. He is not involved in our field,  but asked a poignant question: What are people in your field doing in the wake of this tragedy? It was a question I didn?t  have a direct answer to...only little pieces I knew individuals were attempting to make happen in the form of memorial services and the like. I do know what some of us do every day that addresses some of the important issues of inclusivity and diversity education. It is a question worth pursuing to see if we are doing what we feel is necessary to help promote inclusivity in our programming. There are other questions we need to address...as a person, professional, WPG.

Some questions to think about:

What can be our role?

What is our responsibility?

How can we make a difference in future leaders' understanding of the issues involved in this situation and other hate crimes?

How does it relate to other forms of discrimination and prejudice?

What are our own prejudices and how do they effect how we deal with staff, colleagues, clients, family members, people we meet?

How do diversity issues get played out in our organizations, staff trainings, program curriculums, client teachings?

What does diversity issues and training have to do with experiential education, adventure education...?

Everything!!! We teach more than how to light a stove and what weather patterns are forming. Every interaction we make with fellow staff, clients, and the public when we are out on trips, conveys our views about people and inclusivity. We need to ask ourselves some hard questions as people and as professions about what we can and have a responsibility to do in the wake of this tragedy.
 

I would like to propose some parts of our meetings in Spokane to address our feelings, thoughts, questions, and possibly plans for some action. I know I could use some support and assistance with this tragedy. I would also like to propose some dialog and the formation of a position statement on some of these issues from the WPG. It will be a start, a piece,  something we can do ... the little steps we take will one day add up to some big changes...let's get together and help each other be proactive.

 

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Women's Outdoor Memorial Gatherings - Events Packet

Thank you for supporting Women in the Outdoors!

Organizing a gathering can be a fun and rewarding experience.  Here in our Events Packet we have compiled a list of information to help you get started.  If you have any question, please contact WPG Chairs at:  wpg@aee.org

How to Organize an Event

1. Get together with some women and plan an event.  If you need ideas, please check out what women have organized in the past: Sample Ideas or gatherings planned for this year:  Gatherings.

2. Email us your Event information at wpg@aee.org  and we will place it on our Gathering webpage. Let us know if your event is open to the public or private.

3. Create a Safety Plan for your event.  Safety can include physical, emtional, and spiritual safety.  For more information, read this article by Denise Mitten, on Emotional and Spiritual Safety.  

4.  If you are planning a wilderness trip, create a Wilderness Trip Itinerary. It is good to post these iteneraries at ranger stations or with friends, so that people know where you are headed and when you expect to return.

5. Get the word out!  If your event is open to the public, consider advertising with your local media or making posters and flyers.  Check out our Press Kit.
 Also, check out the Gathering History and Pro-Action in the Wake of Tragedy articles for more information on the history and initiative of the gatherings.

6. Have a great event!

7. Report back to WPG on how your event went. We would like to share on our webpage how the gatherings went. Please send your stories and pictures to wpg@aee.org

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Sample Gathering Ideas

If you would like to plan a gathering in your area go to our Events Packet for more information.
 
Here are some examples of gatherings that were held throughout the U.S. during Take Back the Trails in 1997

Weekend long backpacking trip with friends that included evening campfire ceremonies, poetry & story sharing, and lots of laughter.

One day gathering with community women & girls. The day started with a ceremony to honor women who faced violence in the outdoors. This was followed by a two-hour workshop on outdoor skills and three-hour day hike at a local state park.  The day ended with a ceremonial sharing of stories and reflection on the meaning of the day.

Half-day rock climbing workshop for women & girls.

After a day of trail hiking, one group held an evening benefit gathering with a small entrance fee that included food, music, poetry reading, a dance performance, and speakers.  The event rose over $400 for a scholarship program.

Length:  Gatherings can be as short as a few hours to all weekend. Base the length on how much time, energy, and resources you have available for planning and facilitation.

Participants:  Participants for the gatherings are usually groups of women and girls/teens.  Sometimes these groups are friends, co-workers, families, or it is open to community members.  It is your choice whether to include men/boys in the gatherings. Some exceptions may include single-parent families where only a father is available to participate with a girl.  Or, men who are supportive of helping stop violence against women in the outdoors.

Donations for WPG:  WPG would welcome any donations you would like to collect on our behalf as part of a participation fee for your gathering.  Any amount of donation would be welcome and help support future gatherings, publications, and other WPG sponsored events.

Activities:  Activities can be almost anything as long as their theme and/or location are women & the outdoors.  Activities can be physical, creative, workshops, speakers/presentations, fundraisers, benefits, or community service projects.  (Note: if there are fees associated with the activity, such as hiring a presenter, trail fees, or transportation service to access hiking areas, the organizer needs to collect donations to cover the costs, either from the participants or from businesses or other sponsors. No participation fees can be collected in the name of AEE. See the Events Packet for more information on Costs.)  Here are some activity examples:

Outdoor Activities or Workshops:

Camping / Backpacking
Day Hikes
Caving
Canoeing or Kayaking
Sailing or Boating
Rock Climbing
Picnics
Writing and Sharing Stories & Poetry
Campfire Rituals
Biking
Horseback Riding
Music
Creative Arts in the Outdoors
Ceremonial Activities with Teens
Wilderness Survival Skills
First Aid / CPR Skills in the Outdoors
Self Defense Training

Community Service Projects:

Trail Clean Up & Maintenance
Restoring or Building Public Use Cabins / Shelters
Handing out Safe Hiking/Camping pamphlets along trails
Memorial Service to Remember Women who have faced violence in the outdoors
Charge a small entrance fee for an activity or bike-a-thon and donate to a local Women's Shelter.
Benefit dinner & entertainment event to raise money for local women scholarship. Entertainment could include presentations on women & the outdoors

Community Presentations, Speakers, Discussion:

Women Honoring Women
Women's Safety and fears in the wilderness
Leadership & Empowerment

 
Also check out the list of gatherings being held this year and in the past: Gatherings.

If you have other ideas or resources, not included here, please contact WPG  wpg@aee.org so we can add them to our list and share them with other organizers.

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