| Dear Peter,
Today is a day to celebrate. This morning we broke ground on the Ecusta Trail! The long-awaited 19-mile rail trail from Hendersonville to Brevard is now officially underway. I want to thank everyone who supported the trail and got us to this incredible milestone.
A project of this scale takes a huge amount of effort and investment and could seem beyond reach. But volunteers with the grassroots Friends of the Ecusta Trail had a vision that they championed for over 14 years.
When an opportunity came up to buy the rail corridor, they asked us to partner with them. A subsidiary of Conserving Carolina bought the land in 2021. Then, Conserving Carolina and Friends of the Ecusta Trail set about raising tens of millions of dollars for trail construction. That's an astonishing goal for two local nonprofits. You made it possible.
There was a tremendous outpouring of support. Local businesses and individuals donated millions of dollars that we needed to match state and federal grants. We met our fundraising target... but escalating costs made our goal of building the trail still seem very far away. Then, this summer we received two game-changing federal grants for construction. And we are ready to build the trail!
This morning, we got started. The groundbreaking at the Veterans Healing Farm kicked off the first section of trail—a 5.7 mile stretch from Hendersonville to Horse Shoe. This section is expected to be complete in about a year. The entire 19-mile trail is expected to be complete in 3-5 years.
There is one more phase of fundraising, to provide amenities so you can access and enjoy the trail. That includes things like trailheads, restrooms, benches, and signage. Friends of the Ecusta Trail, which first launched this visionary project, is taking the lead and you can donate here.
I want to thank everyone who gave to the trail and I especially want to recognize our major donors, who are listed here. Major funding also came from the U.S. Department of Transportation, the State of North Carolina, Henderson County Tourism and Development Authority, and the Transylvania County Tourism and Development Authority. I am also very grateful for the leadership of Henderson County and the City of Brevard.
Today, with shovels in the ground, we started to make the dream real. I can't wait to get out on the Ecusta Trail, walking, running, or biking with you! | 
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