When planning the TRAIL (Teaching Responsibility and Inspiring Leadership) Blazers program for local middle school children, Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation (GMSF) staff immediately thought about John and Faye Cooper and their company, Mast General Store, as ideal partners. The new outreach offering features a series of hikes progressing in difficulty throughout the school year, with a goal of nurturing students’ skills in confidence, leadership, planning, team building and trail etiquette.
“The Coopers and Mast General Store know about the outdoors, proper equipment and the importance of teaching people how to be safe and to care for the environment,” said John Caveny, vice president of conservation and education and leader of the TRAIL Blazers program. “They are also committed to the community and to building meaningful relationships.”
John and Faye Cooper, who opened a revitalized version of the original Mast General Store in Valle Crucis in 1980 and have since expanded to eleven stores, enthusiastically agreed be a part of the program. GMSF staff provided a list of needed gear and worked with Lisa Cooper, John and Faye’s daughter, who serves as President of Mast General Store. They generously provided much of the hiking gear for 15 students from Cranberry Middle School who were enrolled in the inaugural class of TRAIL Blazers.
John and Faye are longtime friends of Grandfather Mountain. They are regular attendees of many events, from the Grandfather Presents speaker series to Grandfather Glows and New Year’s Day sunrises, and often bring family and friends to enjoy everything the mountain has to offer.
One of the reasons the Coopers chose to support TRAIL Blazers was because of GMSF’s shared commitment to the concept of Leave No Trace.
As John and Faye say, “Any program that helps students develop leadership skills and inspires them to learn trail etiquette is good for them and the community at large.”
The Coopers are excited for the young people who will become TRAIL Blazers, and they look forward to seeing great leaders of the community and conservation champions come out of the program. As they look to the future of the Stewardship Foundation and TRAIL Blazers, John and Faye say, “Grandfather Mountain offers incredible opportunities, especially to young people, to enjoy and learn about nature and conservation. This is an important mission, and we know it continue for many years to come.”