Message from the Mountain

July 2026/ Issue #25

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

That is my favorite sentence from the Declaration of Independence. The Continental Congress actually voted for independence on July 2, 1776, not the 4th. Only John Hancock and Charles Thomson signed the Declaration of Independence on the 4th. Most of the other 56 delegates did not sign the document until nearly a month later, on August 2, 1776. But there was a big sale on hot dogs and beer at the local Piggly Wiggly. Just kidding.

It's hard to imagine that America is such a young country, it feels like a lifetime. I am hoping that this year ushers in a push for Mobility Mountain to acquire land and offer some of that "pursuit of happiness." It is our hope that everyone is able to participate in the celebration of our nations' freedom. We will continue working on the "independence" part that we so adamantly strive to provide, for those who want to experience nature on their own. Happy Independence Day!

The Leap of Faith

By Jeffrey Pryor

As I walk by the pond and hear the frogs calling out, "read-up, read-up, read-up." My reply is that I have been reading up on grant opportunities and collaborations, that may help place Mobility Mountain on the map. The frogs just look at me, with those judging frog eyes. I have been reading up, and I often find that I try to fit our mission into a grant proposal or similar.

A very smart person once told me that I need to stay true to our mission and not conform, just to get a grant. Wise words. I did recently apply to a grant that may bring some change our direction and help spread our awareness a bit. At least that is my plan. My proposal is called "Operation Nature Calls: Veterans Reconnecting Through Nature."

To give you a brief synopsis of Operation Nature Calls, it is an initiative focused on helping veterans reconnect with nature, one another, and with a renewed sense of purpose. The program will bring veterans together for accessible outdoor experiences, adaptive recreation, conservation projects, and peer connection, while creating opportunities for healing, camaraderie, and personal growth. Just as importantly, we're working to improve accessibility on public lands so they can be enjoyed by everyone for years to come. This is initiative can be more than a single program—it's can be the beginning of a model we hope to expand to other communities, demonstrating that time spent in nature can play a meaningful role in improving the physical and mental well-being, of those who have served. This could be how we begin Making Nature Accessible.