Last month, Big Brothers Big Sisters was invited to join the United States Forest Service at the Nancy Russel Overlook to celebrate National Public Lands Day with fun outdoor activities as part of our Outdoor Explorers Mentoring Program.
National Public Lands Day occurs every year on the fourth Saturday in September. The purpose is to not only motivate volunteers to help with trail maintenance, planting projects, trash pick-ups, and other activities to care for our public lands, but also to encourage people to learn about public lands and to enjoy them responsibly.
In addition to current Big and Little matches, several future Littles from our waiting list joined in the fun with their families!
Participants hiked on the Cape Horn Trail, did some painting, made swag bags, and enjoyed a beautiful day learning about nature and the importance of public forests like this one. There were even surprise guest appearances by Smokey the Bear and Woodsey the Owl!
We have been honored to partner with the U.S. Forest Service since 2016 to make the outdoors more accessible to youth through the Outdoor Explorers Mentoring Program (OEMP).
This yearly program brings our Bigs and Littles on educational and recreational adventures on federal, state and tribal lands in the Pacific Northwest. From canoeing to Ross Island in the summer, to snowshoeing on Mount St. Helens in the winter, OEMP has introduced conservation to youth living in urban areas who would otherwise not have access to these opportunities. National Public Lands Day in September each year is one of our signature activities and continues to grow in popularity each year.
