The Outdoor Lab Foundation Gazette | March 2015
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Greetings! Last month we asked our readers to send in their Outdoor Lab "Love Letters". We were amazed at the outpouring of responses, and have enjoyed reading about the various things that made folks fall in love with Outdoor Lab over the years. You can read one of these letters, written by Kristen Fischer, which is posted below. If you didn't get a chance to send us your story we would still LOVE to hear from you! Please continue to share your stories with us on Facebook or Twitter and use #OutdoorLab on all of your posts. |
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Featured Outdoor Lab "Love Story"
Written by: Kristen Fischer
Outdoor lab. Freedom. Fresh air. Fun. Friends.
I spent a wonderful week at Outdoor Lab in 1982. Back then, I thought the year 2000 was sooooo far away, I would be 30 then! Well, now it's 2015 and I'm 44 and I have a son who will be going to Outdoor Lab next year. I hope he will go to Mount Evans, where I went.
I have vague recollections of arriving. No details, just the feeling of freedom. It was the first time away from my parents. I was responsible for myself. Learning to be independent has taken me to college in Florida and helped me travel across the globe.
The activities were filled with adventures. It didn't really matter which activity: archery, hiking, compass reading... Just being in the fresh air all week made me happy. Not that we didn't spend every summer day playing outside from dawn 'til dusk back then, but the mountain air is better, fresher.
We were the Havasupi tribe. It was so much fun, making a flag that said, " ex, nox, noxe, nay. Havasupi leads the way." Our counselor told us those nonsense words meant, "Until pigs fly." It makes me laugh, even now, that we believed him.
But, the memory that's stands out so clearly, is being with my friends, singing in the talent show at the end of the week. We sang an REO Soeedwagon song: Take it on the Run. I told you I was old, right? We thought we were so cool, singing that cool song with our handsome high-school aged counselor playing the guitar. Those are the same friends who are coming from 3 states for a girls' weekend next week, 33 years later.
For me, Outdoor Lab was freedom for the first time, fresh air and activities, fun for a whole week (not a single sad moment), and friends that last a lifetime. I hope for the same for my son, next year.
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Join us for our ninth annual Outdoor Lab Gala on Saturday, April 25th. Come see why this gala is the one everyone makes sure is on their calendar! This year is going to be something extra special so get your 'crew' together and book your tickets before they sell out!
Here is what you can expect for the evening's festivities:
- Grand unveiling of our newest, top secret project.
- Silent & live auctions full of outdoor gear, adventure travel, entertainment, and more!
- Live demonstration by HawkQuest featuring some of the most amazing birds of prey known to man. - Full course meals consisting of Porcini Crusted Chicken, Pan Seared Salmon, or Butternut Squash Ravioli.
Reserve a hotel room for the evening and 25% of your bill will be donated back to the Outdoor Lab Foundation!
Title Sponsor
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Presenting Sponsor
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 | *Outdoor Lab Needs*
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Have you taken your "Feel Good" vitamins recently?
Whether it's a couple of hours of your time helping prepare for the gala, students logging some volunteer hours for school projects, or someone looking to get involved in a more substantial way, we have something for everyone! Check out our website for upcoming volunteer opportunities.
We do have an immediate need of volunteers to help out for two hours during the morning of Tuesday, March 23rd and Thursday March 26th.
We are also in desperate need of two functioning I-pads, new or used. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer or have an I-pad to donate, please contact:
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Echo Mountain Adventure Camp
Did your child LOVE Outdoor Lab and wish they could go again? Well, they may be eligible to attend one of our great summer camps brought to you by Echo Mountain Adventure Camp (EMAC)!
There are two summer camps hosted at the Mount Evans Outdoor Lab Site that currently have open enrollment for summer 2015:
BASE Camp- For kids going into 7th, 8th, and 9th grade. This 7-day session involves canoeing, mountain biking, hiking, and many other great summer camp activities. Choose between the following dates: June 14 - 20 or June 21 - 27
EXPEDITION Camp- For high school aged kids. This 10 day adventure uses the outdoors in an extreme way, incorporating a 3-day backpacking trip, canoeing, swimming, mountain biking, rock-climbing, survival and leadership skills. Join us for this unforgettable experience on June 18 - 27.
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Lab Cards Program
Friendly reminder that families who start using the cards before sixth grade are the most likely to pay $0 for their student's Outdoor Lab experience. Did you know you can start earning toward a student fee as soon as a child enters Kindergarten? So if you have a future Outdoor Laber on your hands don't hesitate to get started now, and if you don't, consider helping your favorite school with their Outdoor Lab bill by using a school scholarship card.
Lab Card Program Quick Tip: Lab Card Program families, don't forget that along with grocery purchases, cards can be used to purchase gas from the Safeway and King Soopers fuel stations!
Do you have any questions?
If you're ready to start earning for the Outdoor Lab Foundation, your local school, or a specific child visit us at: www.outdoorlabfoundation.org/lab-cards-program/ or order your cards via the links below.
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Lab Site Updates
Mount Evans and Windy Peak have both experienced winter in full swing. Snow days for us are very different than in town. Jeffco had a snow day the last week in February and all schools in Jeffco were closed...well, almost all of them! At Outdoor Lab, district snow days are celebrated with snow shoes and YakTrax and fun IN the snow! All of the school groups have "weathered" the cold like "storm troopers". Kids, leaders, and teachers often mention the inspiring beauty of snow on the ground and ice crystals on the needles of the trees. We feel so fortunate to experience these moments with our neighborhood schools. From flag ceremonies to classes, the students showing that they fully embraced our Outdoor Lab philosophy of stewardship.
In other Outdoor Lab news, the staff of both sites worked in tandem to host the 33rd Annual Residential Outdoor Environmental Educators Conference. Environmental educators from Washington, Oregon, Arizona, Missouri, and Colorado gathered at Windy Peak for a weekend of learning and collegiality. Special thanks go to Warren Tech and McClain for helping us with transportation, especially Robbin Wood! From all accounts the weekend was a rousing success. The creativity and hard work demonstrated by our staff is why we are a top notch program in our field. We want to thank all of our Outdoor Lab staff and interns who helped plan, guide, feed and safely transport our guests during ROEE!
Stay tuned as we look forward to the beginning of spring!
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