Ellison family raises $43K for Helene relief
For their “Miles for Manna” fundraiser, the Tar Heel trio trekked 1,100 miles on the Mountains-to-Sea Trail.
Two years ago, Lucien Ellison ’97 ’03 (MBA) set a goal to hike the Mountains-to-Sea Trail in North Carolina. This summer, Jack Ellison, rising Carolina junior, and Archie Ellison, rising Carolina sophomore, decided to join their dad on the hike.
“We’ve always loved backpacking and hiking. When our dad presented us with the opportunity, we thought it would be a great way to spend the summer, get closer with each other, do something that would change our lives and learn more about the state,” said Archie Ellison.
The Ellisons are Tar Heels from Wilmington, North Carolina. Lucien Ellison and his wife, Jane, met at Carolina and took Jack and Archie to Carolina sporting events long before they enrolled as students. They wanted their special hike to incorporate service to the state, a principle instilled in them at UNC-Chapel Hill, so they decided to make it a fundraiser for Hurricane Helene recovery efforts.
The trio partnered with Manna Food Bank, who has helped those struggling with food insecurity in 16 western North Carolina counties. They set up a “Miles for Manna” GoFundMe with a goal of $50,000, raising $43,000 so far.
“UNC taught me how much need there is throughout the state of North Carolina, but UNC has always been there to make the state a better place,” said Lucien Ellison. “It’s inspiring to see how much they do for all the communities across North Carolina. I’m proud to be part of the UNC community that helps around the state and world.”
When the three set out on their hike, they decided to go from east to west, starting in Jockey’s Ridge near the Outer Banks and finishing at Kuwohi, the highest point in the Great Smoky Mountains. They hiked around 20 miles a day for 64 days, totaling about 1,175 miles. The hike took them through many of the areas affected by Hurricane Helene.
(Submitted photos)
“Months after Hurricane Helene, western North Carolina is still struggling,” said Lucien Ellison. “There’s plenty of people experiencing food insecurity and buildings that need to be repaired. Walking through western North Carolina showed us the devastation firsthand.”
They backpacked with refueling stops along the way, using an app called FarOut to plan their days. The app guided them with offline maps, showing places to stay and where to get food and water. Many people along the way offered housing and food. The three documented their journey through their Instagram account, @mountainstosea2025.
“When we went through these small towns, it was amazing to meet people and see their generosity, kindness and willingness to help us,” said Lucien Ellison. “We couldn’t have done it without all the people who showed up for us around the state.”
(Submitted photo)
While their main goal was to help others, the three got closer throughout the journey.
“Archie and I see each other every day, but when you’re with somebody 24/7 for a little over nine weeks, you get to know more about each person,” said Jack Ellison. “We’ve grown up with each other, but there’s always room to learn more and we learned to appreciate each other more.”
