Support our work with a tax-deductible donation today!
Updated: Oct 2, 2021
After a two-year approval process, the Earl Shaffer Foundation was officially granted 501(c)3 tax-exempt status by the IRS. Any donation made to the Foundation is now tax-deductible for the donor. The effective date of the 501(c)3 status is April 17, 2002.
The Foundation presented a multimedia tribute to Earl on May 16, 2004 in the Rock Auditorium at the annual Trail Days festival in Damascus, Virginia. Takoma Tedd gave a live performance of all the songs from his new CD based on Earl's poetry, "Songs of the Blue Ridge Runner," along with his original song lauding Earl, "Crazy One." A synchronized Appalachian Trail slideshow compiled by Foundation Board member Chris "Spur" Bagby added visual imagery to the musical performance. As part of the tribute, Foundation Chairman Dave Donaldson presented a brass plaque and framed images of Earl for display in The Place, the popular hiker hostel located in Damascus.
On October 8, 2004, a slightly shorter version of the same multimedia tribute was presented to a crowd of over 400 hiking enthusiasts during the annual ALDHA Gathering's Friday evening program.
Updated: Oct 2, 2021
Part of the Earl Shaffer Foundation's mission is to place into publication the vast collection of poetry which Earl wrote over the course of his life. As a novel way to help accomplish this, Foundation member "Takoma Tedd" Lester has created "Songs of the Blue Ridge Runner," a lively album of songs with lyrics based on several of Earl's poems, and the Foundation recently published it as a CD. Proceeds from its sales will benefit hiking clubs and other causes which were important to Earl.