New Tradeswomen Hiking Group

Last year at the Tradeswomen Leadership Institute, there was a workshop called “Visions for a Better Worksite”. During this workshop, small groups discussed what they thought would help tradeswomen stay in the industry. For one of these groups, creating community among tradeswomen was the clear answer:  Community to provide support, a place to share experiences, and a venue to eliminate feelings of isolation.

In this moment, the idea for Bitchin’ Hikes emerged. Hiking and Oregon are a natural pairing and it turns out so are tradeswomen and hiking! Beatrice Jenkins, Lori Baumann, and many other tradeswomen came together to start the group. Their stated mission is:

“To unite all women in the trades during a healthy, fun, and energizing activity. In a male-dominated industry, we need to be able to connect with other women that share the same conflicts, issues, insights, and advice.”

The hikes kick-off Sunday, March 20 and will take place every other month after that. All tradeswomen are invited along with your spouses, kids, friends, and ,yes, even your dogs. The first hike will be Wahclella Falls. Meet there at 11:00 am and be ready to hike by 11:15 am. You will want to bring lunch with you and plan for a $5 day trip cost. Some folks will be carpooling so join the Facebook Page to share details and make connections.

Now, there will be questions about the name of the group but fear not, it is actually very inspirational. The keynote speaker at the 2015 Tradeswomen Leadership Institute inspired everyone with the acronym that gets her through the day. In male dominated spaces, powerful, thoughtful, and strong women are often labelled bitch. This was turned into an acronym to remind her why she stays and was adapted for the hiking group.

Believe…

In…

Transformation…

Change…

Happens…

In…

Nature…

Hike away tradeswomen!