In our Sept. 7 issue we featured an article entitled, “A hike on the Long Trail forges a path to opioid recovery” that told of Todd Hitchings’ effort to crowdsource $10,000 for Martha’s Vineyard Community Service’s Substance Use Recovery Program by hiking into the wilderness on Vermont’s Long Trail, which traverses the ridgeline of the Green Mountains from Massachusetts to Quebec.
Eleven days into Mr. Hitchings’ journey, we have a sighting. In an email to The Times from Mary Vivian of Vineyard Haven, she explains how she and her husband Kirk Briggs had a chance encounter with Mr. Hitchings in Lincoln, Vt.
“Todd walked out to his first town in 11 days,” Ms. Vivian wrote. “This was a halfway point and a chance to charge his phone.”
Mr. Briggs and Ms. Vivian are staying with their daughter Ila Briggs Halby in Lincoln and just happened to stop at the Lincoln Store, where they found Todd.
Mr. Hitchings graduated MVRHS with their son Finn Briggs, and Mr. Briggs was their travel team soccer coach.
Ms. Vivian wrote that Todd is well. He found the night on Killington cold, and putting on wet socks is a new normal. Now he is back on the trail with dry socks and a full belly after dining with Vineyard friends at Zeno Mountain Farm.
And as of Sept. 14, Mr. Hitchings has surpassed his original goal, raising $10,489.22 so far.
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