I can’t believe it’s been a year. A year since we lost this light in our lives. He was something different to each of us. A father, a son, a brother. An old friend, a new friend, a best friend. A teacher, a mentor, a man, a myth, a legend. All of these threads make up the person that Chris was, and over the past year these threads have bound us all together. We have shared stories and tears. We have shared photos and laughs. We have sung, danced, crocked and cried. We have floated, planted, bowled and prayed. We’ve joined hands and hearts as we tried to find meaning in the beauty and the tragedy of such an exceptional life. I’m still struggling. A year out, I find myself grasping for something tangible - somewhere to funnel this energy and grief into something positive - as we mark one year of missing him.

If there is anything Chris loved more than helping people, and making them laugh, it was the National Parks. Especially the trees. The one living thing that will (hopefully) outlive all of our human concerns. So, this year, to mark the one year anniversary of Chris’s passing, I have created a fundraiser in his memory through The National Park Foundation - the only national charitable nonprofit whose mission is to directly support the National Park Service, and all the parks that Chris loved so dearly.

I would love to turn our sadness into a huge storm of positivity on a day that weighs so heavy in our hearts. Please donate what you can, if you can. With love, with gratitude, in memory of our dear friend and in hope that we can still leave this earth better than we found it.

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NPF works to protect national parks and to create life-long connections to natural, cultural, and historical gems. As the official nonprofit partner of the National Park Service, NPF is responsible for protecting the parks for future generations.

We thank you for your support of Chris as well as the National Park Foundation.