On Black Friday, Patagonia kicked off its Action Works fundraising effort for 2019, dedicated to raising money for grassroots environmental organizations. Patagonia's pitch to those who would potentially support these organizations was simple: donate to support these environmental non-profits and we'll match every single dollar, up to $10 million. A mere 17 days later, Patagonia had hit that ceiling, effectively putting $20 million dollars in the hands of grassroots organizations that typically struggle with limited staff and budgets.

I wasn’t so much walking through the flooded timber as I was sliding. It was by choice and predicated by caution. Sometimes I could see fallen leaves resting under the surface, and in those places I did walk. But sometimes the coffee-colored waters hid the bottom, and there is where I slowly scooted each booted foot in the packed mud. As I searched for solid footing, I tried to keep my weight shifted toward the back because with every tense, tentative toe feel there was a chance that that foot could slide off into a channel or flooded critter hole.