WoWW is a group of women who love the outdoors and explore it to appreciate nature and stay active. The WoWWs meet weekly year-round at either 9:30 (summer) or 10:00 (winter) a.m. on Tuesday mornings to hike up to 4 miles. Shorter hiking options are always available. Weekly attendance is not required. Join us when you can! We walk & kayak in the summer and snowshoe in the winter.  We very rarely cancel an activity, but if we do, you will receive an email early on Tuesday morning.  If we have arranged to have lunch at a restaurant following the hike, we normally honor our commitment to the restaurant and show up for lunch (as long as it is safe for us to be out and about). Due to the large number of women that participate in the summer, we prefer to have a sack lunches and enjoy more of the great outdoors from June 1 through the end of August.

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We have also spun off into several other groups with WoWW members who share a common interest or talent. This website provides a site to communicate those opportunities as well.

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The Coordinator for the group will send a weekly email (normally on Thursday) that provides a link to the website. On the NEXT HIKE tab, there is a description of the following week's hike and a link to our registration process.  It is very important to register if you are coming, as we use this to create our check-in sheet and also track that you return from the hike.  We also use it for counts that are provided to restaurants if needed.

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Annual "dues" for the group are $10 (preferably cash) and are used for the "sunshine fund" which enables the WoWWs to extend well wishes, condolences, and heart-felt thanks to members of the group and their immediate family members. Annually, we contribute a portion of our dues to local community trails, such as the Birkebeiner, the Hayward Area Hospital Trails and the town of Hayward. We also have a few minor expenses that come from the dues. Payment is due during June-August to the Membership coordinator and covers the period through the following May.  

 

Make sure you wear your name tag!  Because not everyone walks every week, it helps - especially for those of us with short memories!  If you lose your name tag or need a new one, contact the Coordinator. 

 

Participants are asked to sponsor a weekly walk at least once during the year.  You don't have to do it alone.  Get together with one or more other WoWWs to decide where to walk and/or kayak and the luncheon arrangements (whether sack lunch or restaurant). 

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We have a Shutterfly site where we post photos taken during the hike and it's a history of all of our past hikes. To access go to

Shutterfly.com and enter WoWW email and password. (Contact the Photography Coordinator at the WoWW email woww715wisc@gmail.com.)  To view pictures click on Photos on the bottom bar on your phone or the top bar on your tablet/computer and the most recent pictures will appear. To look at older pictures, click on Albums and choose the album you want. Be sure to log off after viewing pictures.

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We encourage you to bring visitors to a hike and/or invite other women you know who may be interested in joining. ​

Safety

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You should NEVER walk alone.  Make sure you have a companion with you even if you need to turn back early. Everyone should have a whistle with them when we walk. If you and your hiking companion(s) feel you're lost, STOP WALKING! Remember 1-2-3

 

1. Blow a whistle with one LONG blow. If after one minute the lost group hasn't heard any response, blow again with one LONG blow.  Keep blowing in one minute intervals until you're found.

2. The group will respond with two short blows acknowledging that they've heard your call for help. 

3. When the lost group has been found, sound three long blows. 

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We follow these basic rules:

 

• Play it smart. Taking on a 4 mile hike when you haven’t walked that far in awhile is not the best choice.

• Know exactly where you are going. Pay attention to landmarks around you as you walk past them, so you can recognize them if you need help finding your way back. 

• Bring plenty of water along.

• Dress appropriately. Make sure you are dressed in layers so you can adjust to the surrounding temperatures as they change. Wearing the right shoes will keep your feet from developing blisters and getting injured. A hat can also help shield you from the sun. Apply bug spray and sunscreen when needed.

• Don’t overexert yourself. If you need a break, take it. If the hike becomes more than you can handle, turn back. If you feel sick, exhausted, or suspect an injury, return to the start--but ALWAYS WITH SOMEONE.  NEVER WALK ALONE. Or whistle for help! 

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