[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 162 (Tuesday, October 11, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1038]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                HONORING JENN RIGGS AS IOWAN OF THE WEEK

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. CYNTHIA AXNE

                                of iowa

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 11, 2022

  Mrs. AXNE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask the House of 
Representatives to join me in recognizing Jenn Riggs, founder of Wander 
Women Iowa, as Iowan of the Week.
  Jenn was born and raised in Iowa in a family with a real love of the 
outdoors. As a child, her family would take day trips to explore Iowa's 
many parks and recreational areas. Her grandmother worked at a state-
run rest area educating visitors about Iowa's outdoor spaces and 
tourism opportunities, and Jenn would join her on the job. All of these 
experiences bestowed in Jenn a deep appreciation of Iowa's natural 
beauty and a drive to spend more time outside.
  Prior to founding Wander Women, Jenn worked as a sustainability 
coordinator at the Des Moines Area Community College's Urban Campus in 
Des Moines and helped students set up various sustainability efforts. 
One of her favorite projects was the establishment of a half-acre food 
forest on campus in the heart of Iowa's largest metro area. She and the 
students involved learned about permaculture as the project developed, 
and today the half-acre forest boasts fruitful apple trees, different 
perennial food sources, and more.
  The idea for Wander Women was years in the making. After many 
conversations with friends and community members and receiving a 
plethora of good guidance, Jenn officially made the leap into small 
business ownership when she founded the company in 2018. It's only 
grown since then.
  Wander Women Iowa connects, guides, and empowers women through all-
inclusive camping and hiking trips throughout Iowa. The goal of the 
business is to help women find community in the natural world and with 
one another in lasting, meaningful forms, It also empowers women by 
building confidence and learning important skills from other women 
within the outdoor recreation world, which is typically very male-
dominated. Jenn also hopes bestowing a love of Iowa's natural wonders 
and outdoor recreation will help retain more young families in the 
state.
  Jenn believes there is power and magic when women gather, and is 
dedicated to creating a path to the outdoor world for everyone. The 
ladies participating in Wander Women trips come from all walks of life, 
gather in the woods without technology or preconceived notions, and can 
simply be themselves while fully immersing in nature and the 
experience. It's been transformative for participants, many of whom 
have since become involved in other initiatives like volunteering and 
advocacy, have stayed connected to other women in the group, and have 
taken their friends and family members to these wild spaces to share 
their joy and appreciation.
  The success of Wander Women is remarkable. The small business started 
with nine trips its first year, and has since grown to 44 trips planned 
for this year between backpacking trips, paddling trips, and 
educational courses across the state. Jenn brought on a co-owner, Kerri 
Sorrell, and they now have 14 female trip guides and a new, part-time 
employee.
  When she's not working on trips and initiatives through Wander Women, 
Jenn remains passionately involved in environmental issues and 
advocacy. She also keeps busy caring for her two young kids and enjoys 
sharing her love of Iowa's outdoor spaces with her children. Her 
daughter, already a brave outdoor adventurer, has even asked about 
taking over Wander Women someday.
  As we collectively breathe a sigh of relief at the coming of spring 
and Women's History Month draws to a close, I am happy to honor this 
strong, adventurous woman who dreamt of connecting more women with 
Iowa's wild spaces and then made that dream a reality. In sharing her 
love and knowledge of Iowa's natural heritage, Jenn is bringing a 
community of women together to help preserve these spaces and pass 
along the appreciation to future generations. I'm inspired by Jenn and 
the brave ladies of Wander Women Iowa and am proud to name her Iowan of 
the Week.

                          ____________________