FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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The North Face Awards Explore Fund Grant to the Colorado
Mountain Club
CMC’s Youth Education Program supports a national
effort to increase outdoor exploration among Colorado youth
GOLDEN, Colo – June 11, 2012 – The North Face has awarded an Explore
Fund grant to the Colorado Mountain Club (CMC) for the Youth Education Program
(YEP). The Explore Fund’s mission is to inspire and enable the next generation of explorers by funding
nonprofit organizations that are working to re-connect children with nature. By
encouraging
an active healthy lifestyle and protection of our natural landscapes, a
stronger connection of youth to the outdoors can be nurtured. The CMC’s Youth Education Program provides
opportunities for youth to learn about and explore the outdoors through
hands-on activities in the classroom, at the American Mountaineering Center, or
in local open space parks with the classes and courses organized to meet the
needs of teachers and individuals.
The CMC was selected from over five hundred applications submitted
for the first of two grant cycles in 2012, because of the CMC’s devotion to
connecting those who love the Colorado Rockies or who study or seek recreation
in them.
Since The Explore Fund was initiated in
2010, The North Face has provided $625,000 in grants to non-profits working to
connect youth to the outdoors.
"As I child, I had the great fortune to hike through a
meadows of wildflowers, wade in crystal clear creeks, and climb Colorado's
majestic peaks. Unfortunately, today fewer and fewer kids have those kinds of
outdoor experiences,” said Brenda Porter, Operations Director of the CMC. “The
competing forces of video games, T.V. time, and increasing rates of childhood
obesity make it more important than ever to provide youth with active outdoor
adventures. Thanks to support from the North Face Explore Fund, CMC will
continue to engage a broad spectrum of youth in mountain education and
adventures during our summer camps and school-day field trips.”
The Youth Education Program was established in 1999 to share the
CMC’s mission with a wider audience, specifically youth. In addition, as CMC’s facility
emerged into a world-class center complete with auditorium, conference center,
and library, it became an ideal destination for school and youth group field
trips. Since its founding, the CMC's Youth Education Program continues to
provide opportunities for over 5,000 kids annually to experience the natural
world through active learning adventures—essential opportunities to help combat
childhood obesity and prevent "nature deficit disorder."
In addition, the CMC’s Youth Education Program has been able to
advance the mission exponentially with the support of several important partner
organizations including the Scientific Cultural Facilities District (SCFD).
“The Outdoor Foundation has identified that a barrier to getting youth
outdoors is lack of opportunity for kids to learn about and actually get to
outdoors. We believe this has to happen at a grass roots, community level,”
said Ann Krcik, director of Outdoor Participation at The North Face. “During
the granting process, we make a conscious effort to reflect on what we refer to
as the virtuous cycle. We first need to provide the opportunity for kids to get
outside and play. If we can provide them with an initial positive experience
outdoors, they will grow up inspired to care about their natural world.”
To learn more the CMC’s Youth
Education Program, visit www.cmc.org/yep.
For more information about The North Face
Explore Fund, please visit www.explorefund.org.
About the Colorado Mountain Club
The Colorado Mountain Club (CMC) is a
nonprofit organization dedicated to adventure, education and preservation in
Colorado. Established in 1912 by mountaineering enthusiasts, CMC now has more
than 7,000 members statewide who explore and protect the wild areas of
Colorado. CMC offers hundreds of events and classes for all ages and abilities.
Throughout its history, the club has been instrumental in landmark achievements
such as the designation of Rocky Mountain National Park, Dinosaur National
Monument, and the passage of the Wilderness Act. To become a member, visit
www.cmc.org.
About The North Face®
The North Face, a division of VF Outdoor, Inc., was
founded in 1968. Headquartered in San Leandro, California, the company offers
the most technically advanced products in the market to accomplished climbers,
mountaineers, snowsport athletes, endurance athletes, and explorers. The
company’s products are sold in specialty mountaineering, backpacking, running,
and snowsport retailers, premium-sporting goods retailers and major outdoor
specialty retail chains.
About PlanetExplore
PlanetExplore is an online community founded by
The North Face, powered by partner organizations that share a passion for the
outdoors, and designed to help individuals and families learn about and
participate in outdoor activities and events in their area. PlanetExplore is a
portal to the outdoors designed to inspire and enable people of all ages to become
regularly active outside, and to enjoy the benefits gained through a connection
to nature.
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