Asheville made national headlines again last week when local molecular biologist turned freelance software developer Karly Sindy appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live to discuss her new grassroots organization, Friends of Asheville Recreational Trails (F.A.R.T.).
Didn’t catch that breaking (wind) news? Let’s get you up to speed.
It began in October when Karly was renewing her license plate online. As a joke, she submitted a request for a personalized tag reading “FART” and was delighted when it arrived a few weeks later. After driving around town with her new tag, Karly received a letter from the NC DMV saying there were complaints about her tag, and she was invited to write back and offer an explanation — in hopes of it not being revoked.
Karly took to Reddit with the issue, and with the help of the community, declared F.A.R.T. to be an acronym for Friends of Asheville Recreational Trails, a group of outdoor enthusiasts dedicated to sharing the value of our local trails with as many folks as possible.
How’s that? Since her original post, Karly and an ever-growing number of supporters have not only gathered in person to celebrate our natural wonders, but created a website, newsletter, and merch as well. “It’s been such a community effort,” Karly says, “Folks donated the logos and art for merch.” Coolest of all? 100% of the proceeds from merch are going to local nonprofit Read to Succeed.
What’s next for F.A.R.T.? Regardless of whether she gets to keep her tag, Karly says she will continue to host meetings. She hopes to do so monthly, as well as work with a different charity every month. “I’m just facilitating a desire to be together and get outside,” she says. Stay current on F.A.R.T. meetings + more here.
