Time to Renew Your Membership in The Corps Network – 2017

It’s time for your organization to renew your membership in The Corps Network! We look forward to working with you for another year! See below for a message from our CEO, Mary Ellen Sprenkel. 

As of September 27, 2016, membership renewal packets have been sent out to all current members of The Corps Network. If you believe you did not receive this information, please contact Bobby Tillett, Member Services Coordinator.

Membership renewal paperwork and dues must be submitted no later than:
October 31, 2016.

Click here to see our updated Member Benefits Guide

Click here to learn about our new membership category for Individual Placement Programs

Click here for the Annual Corps Profile SurveyThis is to be completed by Full Members of The Corps Network. You must have a Member Login to view this part of our website. If you do not have a login, please contact Hannah Traverse, Communications Manager. 

 


A Letter From Our CEO

(click here for PDF version)

September 19, 2016 
 

Dear Members of The Corps Network, 

As the 2016 Fiscal Year comes to a close, I am proud to report on our progress and successes over the past year. This September, TCN membership reached 132 Service and Conservation Corps members, 61 Affiliate members, and 400 AmeriCorps Basic members. This represents an increase of 55 members since this time last year. Please join us in welcoming these new members; we are excited to add their experience and expertise to our network. 

In addition, we saw significant growth in many of our existing programs. In 2016, through TCN’s 21st Century Service and Conservation Corps cooperative agreement with the National Park Service, Corps accessed $1.2 million in project work with NPS. The HOPE Crew program had another great year, completing its 100th project and generating almost $1 million in historic preservation projects with Corps. Additionally, The Corps Network was awarded new OYSI and EAP grants for FY17-FY20. These grants will support 740 Corpsmember positions and provide over $8 million in scholarships each year. 

TCN continued to develop programs and services to better support member Corps and their Corpsmembers. Through the Gulf Coast Restoration Corps, The Corps Network obtained over half a million dollars to complete essential environmental restoration work in Florida and Mississippi. Additionally, TCN is in the process of creating a digital badge system to help Corpsmembers demonstrate to prospective employers the competencies they gained during their service. Other technical assistance accomplishments include adding over 100 new documents to our online resource library and organizing ten informative webinar sessions. 

We also recently launched two new coalitions, respectively focused on National Service and Education and Workforce. These coalitions are open to all member Corps and will serve as the hub for distributing information on policy and practice in these two areas. Moreover, we achieved bipartisan sponsorship and support for the 21st Century Conservation Service Corps Act in both the House and the Senate. 

Lastly, we are excited to announce the creation of the Individual Placement Program (IPP) membership category. This new category expands the types of programs eligible for Full Membership in The Corps Network to include Corps that, rather than organizing all of their Corpsmembers into “teams” or “crews,” operate programs in which Corpsmembers serving in individual, internship-like positions are part of a “cohort” of other individual placement Corpsmembers that meets regularly for training and group activities. The IPP membership is not designed to replace traditional crew-based programs, but rather to meet the growing demand of member Corps and Corps partners for individual placement positions. With the creation of the Individual Placement Programs membership category, we hope to expand this program model and develop ways to support different kinds of Corps experiences that meet the main objective of engaging young people in meaningful service that helps improve communities and the environment. 

We are honored to support your programs as you harness the power of youth and young adults to tackle some of America’s greatest challenges. We thank you for your continued membership in The Corps Network and look forward to working with you over the coming year. 

Sincerely, 

Mary Ellen Sprenkel 

 

President & CEO 

Blog Post – Wyoming Conservation Corps: A Wyoming Tradition in Public Land and Conservation

Evan Townsend
Wyoming Conservation Corps

Originally published on the Wyoming Conservation Corps website on September 2, 2016
 

I know what you are thinking – another blog post celebrating the National Park Service’s 100 year anniversary. Or, yet another post from the WCC describing how important our work is and how good we look while doing it. Well, you are partially, right. It is a big deal that the United States of America is celebrating its famous park service that so many countries across the world have mimicked in some way or another. And, it is a big deal that the United States was the first industrial country to create the idea and implementation of public land. Most of all, it is a big deal that Wyoming holds the territory and statehood allowing for these world first’s.

Among some of the most treasured “first’s” that Wyoming has produced, one of them permitting women the right to vote, are the state’s first’s in public land. Forty-four years before the National Park Service took its beginning steps as an federal agency in 1916, the world’s first national park – Yellowstone (1872) – opened American eyes to the possibility of land to be sanctioned for the primary use of recreation administered by the federal government. Respectively, the first USA land set aside for pure recreation to be run by a state government was Yosemite Valley and Mariposa Grove in 1864 – a beacon of hope and pride in the midst of the bloody Civil War.

  • 1872 – World’s first national park – Yellowstone NP (Wyoming)
  • 1891 – World’s first Timber Reserve turned into a public National Forest – Shoshone NF (Wyoming)
  • 1906 – World’s first recreation based national monument – Devils Tower NM (Wyoming)
In the first decades of the national parks and public land in general, access had become a trademark of the wealthy and upper-class with the famous inns and lodges built to accommodate the elite. Then, the Great Depression hit Americans and the world in 1929 through the entirety of the 1930s and into the 1940s. The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was born out of a need to create jobs and worth for young men around the country from all walks of life or neighborhoods, build infrastructure on our public lands that accommodate all social classes, and promote the American ideal of liberty and pride through service for one’s country. Out of the 1,300 CCC camps across the country, 136 of them were located in Wyoming. One of the bigger Wyoming camps was located in Guernsey State Park and evidence of their amazing stone work can still be seen today.

The CCC years marked a new era for public land use. People from the middle-class and working-class could afford the time, money, and energy to visit our public lands and parks thanks both to a renewed interest in nature-based vacations and the wide-spread integration of the automobile. In 1971, the Youth Conservation Corps then came to exist employing young men AND WOMEN from all over the united states of all social classes, even youth as young as 14 years old, to continue the legacy of the CCC. You will never guess where one of their first projects were – Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming.

In the 1990s, semi-private non-profit conservation corps were being established all neighboring Wyoming and working on Wyoming’s public land. It was not until 2006 that Wyoming had it own conservation corps (WCC) to aid the other neighboring corps in working on the vast network of public land in Wyoming. We work diligently to work with project partners all over Wyoming, federal, state, and private, to improve public lands while empowering young adults to lead by example.

Every swing of our pick mattock, or axe bit chipping out wood, or evening campfire with glowing faces from various backgrounds and states, is an exercise in conservation and legacy.

 

Request for Proposals: Gulf Conservation Corps Restoration Program – Veteran’s Conservation Corps

Download RFP [Word] [PDF]

Applications due by 8:00 p.m. (ET), 9/16/16

The Corps Network requests proposals from qualified non-profit organizations to recruit and train veterans on forest conservation projects through the creation of a Veteran’s Conservation Corps based in the Gulf Coast states. 

The Gulf Conservation Corps Restoration Program (GCCRP), a partnership between The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and the Corps Network (TCN), works to create the infrastructure to train and mobilize Conservation Corps crews to address problems in the Gulf ecosystem. The goals of the GCCRP are to improve the long-term health of coastal habitats for native plants and animals; build the capacity of Conservation Corps along the Gulf so they can play a significant role in restoration efforts; and train young people (ages 18-26) and Veterans (up to age 30) to participate in the expanding Gulf restoration economy. 

The Veteran’s Conservation Corps will provide a “proof of concept” demonstration for key partners in the Gulf Region. Funding will support start-up and operation of a mobile crew. The crew will focus on Longleaf Pine restoration and controlled burn projects that could range across the entire Gulf.

A high priority outcome of the proof of concept project is to develop a program model match veterans’ skills and experiences with career pathways in the Gulf’s new restoration economy. 

Who Should Apply?
Applicants should be non-profit organizations located or currently working in the Five State Gulf Region with previous experience working in the field of environmental conservation. The qualified organization will also have experience in wildland fire and prescribed burn activities, including recruitment, training, and supervision of fire crews. Additionally, special attention will be given to applicants experienced in working with veterans.Preference will be given to organizations that are members of The Corps Network, but all eligible and qualified applicants are encouraged to apply.

Download RFP [Word] [PDF]

Turn Your Corps’ Campus into a Certified Wildlife Habitat

It’s not hard to make your backyard, garden – or the area around your Corps’ office – a Certified Wildlife Habitat with the National Wildlife Federation. If you use sustainable practices to maintain your property, and if your outdoor space has food, water, cover and a place for animals to raise young – then you’re already well on your way to certification

Watch these two great videos featuring Corpsmembers of the California Conservation Corps explaining what defines a National Wildlife Federation Certified Wildlife Habitat (CWH) and how you can make your “campus, backyard or even a porch” wildlife habitat. In the first video, Corpsmember Daniel Villeux explains what is required to create a CWH. In the second video, watch some “birds” (John Griffith and his crew) show the benefit of a CWH from an animal’s perspective.

Be sure to also check out this blog post from California Conservation Corps member Karlee Jewell about how you can be a part of creating vital habitat for species in need. 

 

How to Certify Your Campus as Wildlife Habitat

 

Birds of a Feather

Attend the IUCN World Conservation Congress – Hawai‘i 2016

All the information Members of The Corps Network
need to know about attending the
2016 IUCN World Conservation Congress in Hawai‘i

 

*Download: Information for TCN Members Registering for Congress*

*Download: Information for TCN Members NOT Registering for Congress*

 

*If you’re traveling to Hawaii during the congress, please email Aryuna.Radnaeva@kupuhawaii.org so that Kupu
can make sure to get in touch with you during your stay.

 

About the Congress

The IUCN World Conservation Congress, held once every four years, will take place in Honolulu, Hawai‘i, September 1-10, 2016. This is the first time the United States has been honored with hosting the Congress.

The IUCN Congress aims to improve the management of the natural environment for human, social and economic development by engaging all parts of society to share both the responsibilities and benefits of conservation.

The 2016 IUCN World Conservation Congress is also a significant opportunity to shape the next generation of stewards. This is the first time that specific programming for youth and young leaders has been developed for the IUCN Congress. Having youth and next generation leaders take part in the IUCN Congress would be an initial step towards succession planning, conservation career pathways, and community development.

The events listed below aim to offer a meaningful experience for youth and young leaders that engages them in discussions about conservation issues and involves them in the decision-making process.

These opportunities in parallel with the IUCN Congress act as a leveraging point for youth initiatives and plans to continue the momentum of the IUCN Congress well beyond September 2016.

Download: Information for TCN Members Registering for Congress

Download: Information for TCN Members NOT Registering for Congress

Corpsmember Perspective: A Renewed Hope

By Washington Conservation Corps/The Corps Network AmeriCorps Member:
Mary Powell
May 26, 2016

The walk that we took that day was not a new route.  I have walked the trails at Nisqually more times than I count after serving here for seven months.  But seeing it through the eyes of the former chair of the Nisqually tribe was revealing.  I could see the refuge for what it was, for what it meant to a whole group of people. I have always enjoyed walking around and seeing the flocks of waterfowl, muskrats, deer, and the odd seal swimming up river.  I relish seeing them so content in their native habitat.  But seeing this land as part of a way of life had a profound effect on me. No longer was this land solely habitat for animals, or a playground for birders, it was home for a group of people to weave cedar into baskets and ceremonial clothing, to fish along the river to feed their families and trade with neighboring tribes.  Before me the land was transformed into something that can benefit people and animals together.

On April 7, 2016 two representatives from the Nisqually Tribe, Nano Perez and Cynthia Iyall visited three Washington Conservation Corps crews at the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge as an educational field trip to remind us how people occupied the landscape long before the refuge was designated. We began with a walking tour of the refuge.  The stories Cynthia told of the Nisqually people and how they used the land gave me goose-bumps.  She spoke of restorative properties of the Medicine Creek, and the bounty of salmon in the Nisqually River.

She told us about when relations between the tribe and settlers went sour.  As a relative of Chief Leschi’s brother, Cynthia told how much her people wanted to come to some sort of agreement with the federal government, but the government at the time had no such intentions.  The treaty at Medicine Creek was signed in 1854, and the Nisqually were put on a reservation upland from the river, a place they did not inhabit historically.

Seeing parks I used to play hide-and-seek in turn to housing developments, or seeing my favorite trails turn into a parking lots turned me into a rather cynical young woman.  It is hard for me to believe that people can live with nature.  When I heard Cynthia speak about how her people used to live along the Nisqually River, it gave me hope.  It is a beautiful thing to hear that people and nature can live together. Knowing that we are working to restore Native lands to the way they once were, feels as if we are honoring not only nature the way it is meant to be, but also the people who revere this site. It gave the crews a renewed sense of purpose, a new reason to get up and view our cuts and bruises as battle scars, not just another mark on our vanity.

After our walk with Cynthia, Nano took us to see one of the Nisqually tribe’s hatcheries. I never gave much thought to hatcheries outside of the fact that they help supplement the native populations. I never gave thought to how much work went into them or what they do for the environment and our economy. I had not considered all the research opportunities are possible because other people are raising and releasing fish into the ecosystem.  Seeing the giant ponds in which hundreds of thousands of juvenile salmon are kept is astonishing. To think, they had close to one million fish and only ten percent would return to spawn—it is hard to fathom. Technicians and biologists work at the hatchery, spending so much time and effort to spawn thousands of fish, and incubate hundreds of thousands of eggs, and keep predators away only to have ten percent return years later astounded me. It may not seem like much, yet the hatchery keeps going, native populations increase, and it provides jobs for the area. Watching everyone come together to benefit both humans and the environment was impressive to say the least.

For the second time on that day I was finding renewed hope that maybe the service we are doing can be for more than just the environment but also for the people. I had begun to feel stagnant in our project; it was the same invasive removal for the same area to help some native plants and animals. However, learning about the Nisqually people then and now, and trying to do what is right by not only their people but also by nature, shook me out of my funk. It reminded me why I got into this field. Cynthia and Nano helped give me renewed hope and energy for the hot, summer months, reminding me that what I am doing is important.  To me, that is a good reason to get up every morning and go outside.

While serving for the Washington Conservation Corps and AmeriCorps, it is very easy to get swept up in the mentality “It’s for the trees. It’s for the shrubs. And it’s for the animals!” However, that means that we lose sight of “It’s also for the people. It’s to help people.” I don’t think that it’s wrong to focus on the good that we do strictly for the environment, but I also think it’s important to remember the people we are helping. The mission of the WCC is to conserve and help the environment, but by extension, we are also helping people.

National Trails Day Photo Contest – 2016

National Trails Day is coming up (Saturday, June 4th) and we know a lot of you have events planned.
What a perfect opportunity for a photo contest!

 

HOW TO PARTICIPATE

  1. Host or participate in a National Trails Day event. Be sure to take lots of pictures.
  2. Post your best pictures (there’s no limit) on social media: Facebook and/or Twitter and/or Instagram. In order to enter your photo in the contest, you must tag The Corps Network (@TheCorpsNetwork) in your caption. Also remember to use #NationalTrailsDay and tag American Hiking Society (@AmericanHiking).

Deadline: you must post your pictures on social media on or before 9:00 a.m. (EDT) Monday, June 13th. We’ll announce the winner on our social channels on Wednesday, June 15th. Submissions will be judged by staff from The Corps Network and American Hiking Society.
 

WHAT’S THE INCENTIVE?

  1. Who doesn’t like a little friendly competition among Corps? Show us that your NTD project is the best! 
  2. The American Hiking Society will share some of the pictures through their social channels. 
  3. We’re always looking for great pictures for our publications, website and social media. We’ll be sure to use pictures from this contest in our annual report and other nationally disseminated documents. Plus, we’ll feature the winning picture on our new Facebook banner. 
     

SUGGESTIONS

  • Get an action shot 
  • Take a before and after picture 
  • Make sure your NTD event is registered with AHS: https://nationaltrailsday.americanhiking.org/add-event/ 
  • In the caption, tell us where you are and what you’re doing 
     

QUESTIONS

Contact Hannah Traverse, Communications Manager: htraverse@corpsnetwork.org

The Corps Network Great Outdoors Day of Service 2015


 

The Corps Network’s 2nd Annual Great Outdoors Day of Service 

Thank you to everyone who participated in The Corps Network’s Great Outdoors Day of Service in the Nation’s Capital! It was a huge success! 
 


Day of Service in the Nation’s Capital Facts

What: On Friday, June 19th, in recognition of Great Outdoors Month (June), The Corps Network hosted the 2nd annual Great Outdoors Day of Service in the Nation’s Capital. The event brought together Corps from across the country, as well as friends and supporters of The Corps Network, to participate in conservation and maintenance projects at several National Park Service sites throughout Washington, DC. The Day of Service was designed to raise awareness about the importance of environmental conservation and the role service can play in protecting America’s natural spaces. We had fun conserving our parks while simultaneously demonstrating to decision-makers in Washington the value of Corps and volunteering to the environmental conservation movement. We hope you can join us next year!

– Download the fact sheet from the 2015 Day of Service

Confirmed Speakers at the 2015 Day of Service kick-off:

  • U.S. National Park Service Director John Jarvis
  • Bill Basl, Director of AmeriCorps
  • U.S. Forest Service National Recreation Director Joe Meade
  • Tina Terrell, Director of Job Corps for the U.S. Forest Service
  • Gracie Billingsley, 2015 Corpsmember of the Year 
  • Philan Tree, National Council of Young Leaders
  • Lajuan Tucker, City of Austin Park Ranger & Texas Conservation Corps alum 

Service Project locations – 2015:

  • National Mall – Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial
  • Rock Creek Park
  • Daingerfield Island
  • Teddy Roosevelt Island

Thank You to the 2015 Great Outdoors Day of Service Sponsors & Partners


 

 

Established in 1917, Guest Services is a private, U.S.-based company originally founded to provide dining services to government agencies in Washington, D.C.

For nearly a century, we have systematically built an outstanding hospitality company based on a firm foundation of great people working with great clients to serve great customers. Learn more.


 

 

 

 

 

Though the company has grown, its mission to help visitors “See the Best First” has stayed the same. Along with a commitment to quality, Old Town Trolley combines history, fun facts, colorful anecdotes, and outstanding service to provide their guests with a memorable vacation experience. Learn more.  


 
A global leader in hospitality management & food service management, Delaware North Companies presents top destinations to half a billion guests each year. With locations on four continents, serving half-a-billion guests a year, it’s not easy to come up with a simple phrase that captures all we do. Yes, we’re world leaders in culinary and hospitality. We’re specialists in serving up what fans crave, and at making travelers and visitors feel right at home. But here’s how we’d like you to really think of us. We’re a team 60,000 strong. Our role is to work behind the scenes to create world-class experiences. And our spirit, our passion, is to go beyond your expectations. Learn more.


 

 

 

CBRE is the global leader in real estate services and investment.

Every day, in markets around the globe, we apply our insight, experience and resources to help clients make informed real estate decisions. Every year, we complete thousands of successful assignments across a wide range of markets and real estate service lines. Learn more.


Located in a quiet park-like setting, Hyatt Fairfax at Fair Lakes features healthy options for our travelers including on-site jogging trails, indoor lap pool and Precor aerobic equipment in our fitness center. Within walking distance of premium shopping, eateries and salons, we also provide a complimentary three mile area shuttle.  As a hotel near Washington DC, we also offer a free shuttle to and from the Vienna Metro Station. Learn more.


 

 

 

 

 

Founders, Brian Stowers and Ben Kieffner, developed Flow397 in response to a shared conviction to develop a socially responsible “for-profit” business with philanthropic origins. So we pondered, “Why not develop a business that tries to be both the best in the world and the best for the world”? We are committed to donating $3.97 for each item sold to charities that support our National Parks. Our iconic heritage and landscape deserve sustained preservation and support. Learn more.


A truly American idea, the State and National Parks of this country represent our naturalheritage. North and south, east and west, they stretch from the edges of our maps to the hearts of our cities, covering nearly one-third of this nation. This June, celebrate the natural wonder and outdoor spirit of America by getting outside during Great Outdoors Month™. Once you come outside, you’ll never want to go back inside. June is a special time to celebrate America’s Great Outdoors.  What started as Great Outdoors Week under President Clinton in 1998 has grown significantly under both the Bush and Obama administrations into a month-long celebration of the outdoors and all the benefits it brings – including annual economic impact of $650 billion nationwide. Learn more.


The American Recreation Coalition (ARC) is a Washington-based nonprofit organization formed in 1979. Since its inception, ARC has sought to catalyze public/private partnerships to enhance and protect outdoor recreational opportunities and the resources upon which such experiences are based. ARC organizes and conducts national conferences and meetings and disseminates information regarding recreational needs and initiatives through a variety of means, including a monthly newsletter and its website www.funoutdoors.com. ARC also monitors legislative and regulatory proposals that influence recreation and works with government agencies and the U.S. Congress to study public-policy issues that will shape future recreational opportunities. Learn more.


 

Materials from The Corps Network’s 2014 Great Outdoors Day of Service

 

Corpsmember Perspective: Let’s Move! Outside – YMCA San Antonio

Chloe Crumley is one of The Corps Network’s AmeriCorps EAP members who is serving at a local YMCA location as part of Let’s Move! Outside initiative. As a member of Texas Conservation Corps, Chloe is based out of YMCA of Greater San Antonio.

In 2015, The Corps Network joined the Department of the Interior’s Let’s Move! Outside initiative: an effort to build coalitions in 50 cities across the country to put into action the Department of the Interior’s broader youth initiative, which is focused on enhancing and expanding outdoor recreational, educational, volunteer and career opportunities on public lands for millions of youth. The Corps Network is aiding the initiative by placing TCN AmeriCorps EAP members at YMCA locations in many of the 50 cities. Each Corpsmember assists a Community Coordinator at the Y in leading a coalition of local organizations working to inspire young people to play, learn, serve, and work on public lands. Chloe’s cohort (the first 25 cities) will end in August, and new EAP members will be selected for the remaining 25 cities. 


 
 
By Chloe Crumley
Texas Conservation Corps

Let’s Move! Outside has been an adventure. I may not be scraping my knees or climbing mountains in the most literal since, but figuratively, I have done just that. It all started with our summit in August 2015 in San Antonio, which was two days after I began as the AmeriCorps member with the initiative. I only vaguely knew what the initiative was about, but I did know I love being outside, I love being an advocate for the outdoors, and I’m excited for the opportunity to reach more people in my community to find that feeling and love of nature as well.

The beginning trek. The first summit had over 50 people in attendance from over 20 different organizations in and around San Antonio. In those three-hours we were able to discuss the outdoor opportunities this city has, the volunteer chances, and how we can all work together to better our existing programs. It was a fabulous event where passionate people were able to meet others in their same field and mind set of the outdoors and youth. That summit really lifted off our initiative and got many people and organizations excited for the future.

The first cross road. Now that the initiative had some excitement, I thought moving forward would be a breeze; however, due to my own excitement of getting youth and the community involved in the outdoors, I started running before I ever knew where I was going.
When the initiative was given to us, it stated two things: 1. We want 10,000 youth volunteers in each city and 2. There are four pillars – Play, Learn, Serve, Work.
The rest was up to us.

Climbing up hill. The openness of Let’s Move! Outside that was given to us, has the benefit of truly creating an initiative that fits our city and our needs, but the downside of little to no structure has meant a longer amount of time getting our footing. For a few weeks we worked on getting more partners involved and interested while we figured out the best way to find a mutually beneficial arrangement of their role in LMO. We worked on establishing a dedicated steering committee which has been a large part of our success. Then with that steering committee, we were able to work on a mission statement, develop goals, and decide our next steps with LMO.

The view. I know we have not reached our peak yet and even though we have fallen a few times and lost partners or fumbled with program development, we are now coming across a beautiful view. A couple of accomplishments in our journey have been:

  • A new program with Parks and Recreation Youth Programs and the National Historic Missions where youth are taught about the missions and parks and then taken to the missions to complete their Junior Ranger Training
  • A weekly educational hike at Hill Country Natural Area State Park specifically for youth
  • The first ever volunteer day with The Doseum and its members to have a family friendly outdoor volunteer day
  • Having the YMCA come out to the volunteer Arbor Day and do zumba with volunteers,
  • (And my favorite) A steering committee member from East Central ISD was committed and took a group of students to Big Bend National Park to learn, discover the park, volunteer, and express their passions to their peers when they returned.

The overlook. Most recently, I have been working with community members around San Antonio who are interested in volunteering and just need some help finding places to go, so it has been my pleasure to match families and businesses to opportunities. We also just had our SECOND summit for Let’s Move! Outside where we were able to discuss our goals and what the community needs from us. The most brought up resource needed is a website with calendars, partner resources, etc. so that is our #1 priority. At the second summit,we were glad to see organizations attend who have not been a part of the initiative. It proved that there are many people who could benefit from us, we just need to continue reaching out to them. We are also excited for the expansion of some volunteer days in our city like “It’s My Park Day” and “National Public Lands Day” thanks to LMO.

An adventure it has been, but it has been incredibly worth it and I am proud to be a part of this process to engage our youth and community to #getoutdoors #letsmoveoutsideSA