Jen M. Harvey, Chief of Philanthropy
Going for a hike is a simple thing. If you are a Fall Hiking Spree returning hiker, you might agree that simple things can be the best. Beautiful walks in magical parks, right here, and every year since 1964.
As Summit Countians, we have made the spree into an enduring tradition, and much more than a day out hiking. Grandparents introduce their grandchildren to the trails. College students return to hike the spree with their families. Friends are made and kept close. Some have been a part of the spree since before they learned to walk on their own. It’s an adventure across generations and places — tied to experiences on the trails, and the longest-running event of its kind in the nation.
This past year, we said goodbye to two people who are forever a part of this history. Bertalan “Bert” Szabo, the park district’s first naturalist and Fall Hiking Spree co-founder, reached the age of 101 and saw 17,000 people finish the spree in 2020. William C. “Bill” Barnes, a steadfast volunteer and friend of the parks, brought us the hiking spree shield assistance and donation program and was active in helping to apply shields to hiking staffs through his 96th year. Both were avid original spree hikers who sought to help others — and therein is the simple key to hiking spree synergy: sharing the spree with others. Novice spree hikers begin each year. And hikers return, year after year, with confidence the tradition will continue.
But with the loss of these founders, there is a renewed awareness that Summit Metro Parks is in need of new enthusiasts, champions and supporters of the Fall Hiking Spree. The hiking spree is central to the park district’s mission to conserve, sustainably manage and value natural resources for the health and enjoyment of our community, and inspire people to connect with nature through clean and safe parks. Because of the legacy of its founders, and the enthusiasm of all who hike the trails every year, now there is a new way to preserve spree traditions.
The Summit Metro Parks Foundation has established a dedicated fund in support of the park district’s hiking sprees that we hope will grow to maintain the program permanently. Though relatively inexpensive, the sprees do incur annual costs. And what better way to honor the spree tradition than with a donation that will fund the program and help people to enjoy it in perpetuity?
Find the link to donate at foundation.summitmetroparks.org, or send a check with a note indicating “Hiking Spree Fund” to the Summit Metro Parks Foundation at 975 Treaty Line Road, Akron, Ohio, 44313.
As we look toward the next 100 years of Summit Metro Parks, it’s heartening to envision people enjoying the hiking sprees far into the future. Supporting the sprees is one way you can share the traditions they represent, making it part of your legacy, too.
For more stories like this, check out Green Islands Magazine, a bi-monthly publication from Summit Metro Parks. Summit County residents can sign up to receive the publication at home free of charge.