June 9, 2026 7:30p
(WGTD)---An elderly Bristol woman is gearing up to hike 28 miles through Yosemite National Park later this summer to raise money for a cause she enthusiastically supports.
"I'm 80 years old so this is going to be interesting," says Fran Wargolet.
Wargolet isn’t doing it alone: She’ll be accompanied by her daughter, granddaughter and eight others who all support a non-profit called ShelterBox.
The group specializes in swooping into natural disasters and war-torn countries around the world to provide shelter for displaced victims, oftentimes in very out-of-the-way places.
The assistance can take the form of tents, mosquito netting, construction materials, cash or even tutorials on how to make bricks out of mud. "One of the things I'm most proud of is the fact that we are flexible and innovative so that when we see something that isn't working or the need is very different from what we've had in the past we evolve," she said.
Fran—a retired Johnson Bank employee—first learned of ShelterBox through her membership in Rotary, a service club that has supported the British-based non-profit.
The 28 mile hike will be spread over four days, with the hikers returning to a base camp at the end of each day.
Fran and her family raised $16,000 in a similar adventure three years ago. She hopes to top that amount this year
She's taking donations online. Go here to contribute and to learn more about ShelterBox.
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