110 SIDELINESMAY 2014
FORHORSEPEOPLE • ABOUTHORSEPEOPLE
ByDani Moritz
Riders, hikers, bikers andeven casual strollers haveonemajor
thing in common – a love for the outdoors. Unfortunately, they
also share the same fear, which is losing the land todowhat they
love.
That’s why the Aiken, South Carolina, community has teamed
up through theGreater Aiken IntegratedTrails (GAIT) Foundation
to support organizations suchasAikenCountyParks, Recreation
and Tourism, the Aiken Land Conservancy and the Aiken
Chamber’sEquineSupport Council.
By supporting these groups, voicing support for recreational
activities and working together to make a difference, the GAIT
Foundation aspires to establish and maintain a multi-use trail
system for hooves, feet and bicycle tires alike.
Samantha Charles, publisher of
Sidelines
Magazine, is one
individual involved in the effort. Samantha experienced firsthand
the loss of riding trails in theWellington community duringher 25-
year residence. ThoughWellingtonwas founded for the activities
of horses and has truly become the epi-center for showing and
polo, all the fabulous riding trails traversing the community no
longer exist. So today she refuses to sit idly by in hopes that the
samewon’t happen toher home inAiken.
“I understand firsthand how important it is for a community to
think ahead if they plan to keep open space and places for their
horses to continue to ride,” she said. “Unfortunately, our grass
roots group did not work closely enough with local government
in Wellington and little was accomplished to preserve trails and
open space.”
But you live and you learn – and Samantha and the GAIT
Foundation won’t be making the same mistakes in the heart of
SouthCarolina’s horse country.
GAIT’s President, Rich Izard, also has a personal passion
for recreational trails – as someone known for his avid use of
HitchcockWoods. Because of this, he knows how important it is
to maintain recreational trails for uses including physical fitness,
mental health and relationship building. “It’s so nice to be able to
have quiet, quality time with your significant other or the entire
family,” he said, “whether catching up on the day’s events,
working through an issue, or just spending time together without
distractions — besides the occasional white tail deer crossing
your path or a squirrel nosily scurrying upa nearby tree.”
Rich says GAIT’s goal for 2014 is to complete the Langley
Loop Trail – a three-mile network of multi-use trails located along
Langley Pond, which is the largest pond in the United States
according toRich.
“This is a learning experience for many of us on the board,
myself included,andwe look forward tobuildingon thisexperience
with additional successful projects in2015 and beyond,” he said.
Trailblazers! GAIT volunteers hardat work on amulti-use trail
system
TheGreater Aiken Integrated
Trails Foundation (GAIT)
breaks ground – literally. (Note
Sidelines
’ publisher, Samantha
Charles, in the yellow sweater.)
Photos courtesy of SamanthaCharles
e
GAIT
Foundation
Protects
AikenTrail
System
