ATLANTA (June 10, 2008) ­ To celebrate Meredith Emerson's life and passions, friends, co-workers and concerned Georgians have joined together to create Right to Hike, Inc., a nonprofit that promotes not only hiking safety, but also other causes that were dear to the young woman. Right to Hike, Inc.
will kick off its programs by hosting simultaneous fundraisers at all 40 metro Atlanta Applebee¹s, including the local one in Cumming, on June 25 ­ five days after Emerson's birthday ­ where participants dine any time during their local restaurant¹s business hours to donate 15 percent of the total bill to the nonprofit.

The money raised will go toward funding Right to Hike, Inc.¹s three
initiatives:

• To provide hikers and outposts with GPS devices that allow emergency personnel to locate hikers in distress;
• To offer added security to people with pets by providing micro-chipping for domesticated animals at Right to Hike events;
• To help other students study abroad in France, as Emerson did, through The Meredith Hope Emerson Memorial Award for Study Abroad which was created by The University of Georgia.

To participate in the fundraiser, visit www.righttohikeinc.com and print out your invitation before visiting Applebee¹s to ensure 15 percent of your bill goes toward helping Right to Hike, Inc.  Also, visit the same Web site to find the nearest Applebee¹s to you.

"We want to ensure other hikers can feel safe while doing what they love by giving them access to Satellite Personal Outdoor Trackers, known as SPOTs, so they can send messages for help and be located if lost," says Julia Karrenbauer, Emerson¹s co-worker, close friend and board member for Right to Hike, Inc. "Meredith¹s dog Ella¹s micro-chip played a key role in helping us find her, and it¹s so important to make sure all pets have one in the event they're ever lost."