Our founder, Tamara Pickering has a background in women’s ministry, mentoring, sales and health & wellness coaching. She has been married to Dr Alan for 40+ years, “Mom” of adult kids and “Gram” to a crew of grandchildren. Tamara enjoys the outdoors, sunshine and playing. Her personal motto is “play outside often” and “engage don’t spectate.”

 In 2020-2021 when the world was staying home, Tamara found herself outside even more.  With the gyms closed, She began spending a lot more time walking, roller skating and hiking. Growing tired of the same places and always going alone, there came a point where she said, “enough” and decided to seek out finding a few women whom she could lead on hikes and adventures. 

Tamara began leading a few women from her church on local hikes. She found herself wanting to hike more and discover new places. Someone suggested she look for a Facebook group although she was unsure what Facebook groups were, she searched anyway. Through Facebook Tamara joined a local hiking group called DFW Hiking & Outdoors. She attended some group hikes and found the local hiking group was very supportive of getting people outdoors. A short time later, three days before a planned hike, she posted a group hike at Eagle Mountain Park on the events page. To her surprise, twenty-two women showed up for the hike. She led another hike the next month with forty-four women attending. The third month, there were sixty-eight women experiencing the renewal found in the outdoors. Tamara knew that we were on to something, something more than just hiking. A Sisterhood was organically happening! It was time to start building a team and establish our own group, a Sisterhood. On the fourth hike with ninety women in attendance our community now known as “Sisterhood Hikes & such” was born.

Tamara has brought to Sisterhood her lifetime of ministry, mentoring, teaching and encouraging women, combining these things with movement and play, she has created a unique group.  Through Sisterhood she continues to lead hundreds of women toward finding inner peace, renewal, health and purpose. Sisterhood focuses on movement, connection, and growth. We do this by helping women further develop the healthy habits and discipline needed to build the best version of themselves. Tamara, now in her sixties, having walked through decades of life feels she has more wisdom and compassion to offer than ever before.

Knowing well the challenges women face, Tamara seeks to be real and offer guidance in the areas most women walk through. All of us experience many of the same obstacles:

• The WORKPLACE - It’s hard trying to be successful while also trying to find meaning and purpose.

• DATING - Love and loss.

• MARRIAGE - It’s good and it’s tough.

• EXS and EXTRAS – Navigating through complex situations.

• HEARTBREAK - Discovering the hope to keep going.

• INFERTILITY, MISCARRIAGE -Finding your way amid pain and suffering.

• FINANCIAL PRESSURE - Getting a grip and working through it.

• HURT, TRAUMA - Reaching a path toward peace.

• FORGIVENESS - Finding grace for ourselves and others.

• FAMILY - Loving and learning to set boundaries.

• FRIENDSHIPS - Learning how to develop deeper relationships.

• PARENTING - Whether babies, kiddos, teens, young adults or grown kids, navigating with skill, patience, perseverance, and wisdom.

• THE EMPTY NEST - Exchanging tears for the joy of rediscovering yourself.

• CHRONIC ILLNESS - Letting it teach us, change us, rebuild us.

• AGING - Embracing it and feeling liberated.

• DECLINING PARENTS - Walking through the sadness, exhaustion and loss.

• GRANDPARENTING - The joy, the fun, figuring out the legacy you want to leave.

We indeed walk through so many seasons filled with both beauty and challenge. Tamara’s hope is that within this community women will find, renewal, hope, comfort, encouragement, wisdom, laughter, friendship and growth.

As we enter 2024, our passion for hiking adventures increases, our heart to serve deepens and our Sisterhood community continues to grow. We have built a strong reliable team of leaders, all seeking to help not only lead hikes but serve women. Sisterhood is about encouraging all women, all ages, all fitness levels to become the best of themselves. Tamara often says “Who you wanna be” Sisterhood Hikes & such is a Community for women who never give up, who encourage all women to keep moving, connecting and growing …becoming “who they wanna be.”