Originally Posted by
Starchild
Nobody said you had to fund another's hike.
And that is the crux of my contention. It is what you make of it. For you it's a vacation and thus should be self funded thus you feel like everyone should be self funded, as if they are not, the thru hike is not a vacation, but something more meaningful. So you need it to be a vacation, but please keep that to yourself, the AT is really much bigger than the box you try to put it in and respect other hikers and how they chose to hike their own hike.
As for charity work, let each person decide how they want to help please. Your solutions don't work for everyone. Also not everyone wants or needs your suggestion or a organization to help humanity. Actually I would argue that helping fro one's heart, and not at the suggestion of another's ideals as to how one must help and without the organization is more effective help for humanity. My way of giving back is gift of my gifts, what I excel at, what I am able to give abundantly, though sometimes it is needed to give out of one's scarcity, but as one is gifted, one should certainly give.