Saint Louis, Missouri
“I’m still in the discovering stages of Venku but I love the variety of their outdoor related posts. I hope to use the site for future Womxn Who Wander events and expand to more communities in the midwest. “
Melissa is founder of the women’s hiking group Womxn Who Wander that serves St. Louis and the surrounding region. Her primary goal with the group is “to help ladies in the St. Louis area get out and explore the beauty of the Midwest.” Although starting the group has been her biggest accomplishment, Melissa has definitely experienced some ups and downs with the process. “I suffer from social anxiety so taking the leap and leading a group that brings womxn from different communities together to explore the midwest has been more of a mental challenge than a physical one.”
Aside from hosting group hikes with Womxn Who Wander, other favorite activities include hiking and canoeing / kayaking with her husband. One of her favorite hikes over the years was the Narrows in Zion National Park. She described the experience as giving her such a rush… “The cold water, not knowing what was beneath my feet, and the sun hitting the wet rock so perfectly that it looked gold.”
While she mostly advertises her hikes and meet ups through Instagram, Melissa wants to start leading hikes with Venku. Check back soon to see her listings!