Trek for Trevor’s Wilderness First Aid Funding Expands to Scouting America
** FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE **
Trek for Trevor Funds Wilderness First Aid & CPR Training for Scouting America Troop 23
Full Crew 616-L to be certified ahead of 12-day Philmont Scout Ranch expedition
Fort Worth, TX, April 20, 2026 - Trek for Trevor, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to promoting safe hiking and exploration through preparation, awareness, and education, has awarded a $2,795 grant to Scouting America Troop 23 of Terre Haute, Indiana. The grant covers Wilderness First Aid and CPR certification for the troop's nine-person Philmont Scout Ranch expedition crew.
The 16-hour SOLO Wilderness First Aid certification course and CPR training was held April 18-19, 2026 at Camp Krietenstein near Center Point, Indiana. Five Scouts and two Adult Scouters received WFA and CPR training. SOLO is recognized by both Philmont Scout Ranch and Scouting America.
Crew 616-L will trek at Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimarron, New Mexico, from June 16 through 28. Philmont requires a minimum of three crew members certified in WFA and CPR. Troop 23 certified all nine. Several of the Scouts on this crew are already planning a non-Scouting self-led backpacking senior trip for 2028 when they turn 18, and the Lead Crew Advisor sees this training as preparation for that too.
"Trevor’s accident was preventable. He was an experienced hiker, but not in mountaineering conditions. Had he prepared himself for wilderness safety and better decision-making, he’d still be with us today. That one gap in preparation cost him his life. We believe he would be thrilled to see his legacy fund training for nine young people who are about to walk into the New Mexico backcountry. Watching them choose to be fully ready before they do, means everything to us." said Doug Laher, Trevor’s father and Executive Director of Trek for Trevor.
“We started Trek for Trevor because preparation and education save lives. Seeing this grant go to young people who are heading into unforgiving terrain, and who are choosing to be fully prepared to do it safely, is proof our work is reaching the people it needs to,” said David Laher, President of Trek for Trevor and Trevor’s grandfather.
Dr. Nathan Schaumleffel; Troop 23’s Scoutmaster and Lead Philont Crew Advisor said “The mission and initiatives of Trek for Trevor and Scouting America are perfectly aligned for a strategic partnership related to teaching Scouts and Scouters outdoor leadership, which starts with planning ahead and preparing, and ends with good judgment that appropriately calculates risk for the skills and abilities of the individuals and the group trekking together. We are grateful for the investment that Trek for Trevor is making in our Philmont Crew 616-L. Their investment brings down the cost of preparing for a safe, fun, and outcome-based adventure at Philmont Scout Ranch!”
The grant aligns with Trek for Trevor’s broader WFA grant program, which also funds wilderness first aid certification for The Mountaineers at Ohio State. Trevor Laher was a club member of The Mountaineers at The Ohio State University from 2016-2019.
With the assistance of Dr. Schaumleffel, a former Philmont Scout Ranch Ranger and member of the Philmont Search and Rescue Team, Trek for Trevor hopes to grow this into a potential national partnership with Scouting America.
About Trek for Trevor
Trek for Trevor is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded by Doug and Karen Laher in memory of their son Trevor Laher, who lost his life while thru-hiking the Pacific Crest Trail in 2020. The foundation promotes safe hiking and exploration through preparation, awareness, and education. Since 2021, Trek for Trevor has issued more than $5,000 in WFA grants, has trained 45 hiking leaders and impacted more than 675 hikers led by WFA certified hiking leaders. For more information, visit www.trekfortrevor.org
About Scouting America Troop 23
Scouting America Troop 23 is based in Terre Haute, Indiana, and is partnered with the Terre Haute Elks Lodge #86, which serves as the troop’s fiscal sponsor. Crew 616-L is advised by Dr. Nathan A. Schaumleffel, a former Philmont Scout Ranch Ranger (1996), former Wilderness First Responder, and former member of the Philmont Search and Rescue Team (PhilSAR).
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Media Contact:
Trek for Trevor
info@trekfortrevor.org
