Canoe Roots Magazine
The Friends of the Sauk River Canoe Library is one of the first initiatives supported by a national effort to increase outdoor participation.
St. Cloud, MN October, 2010– The North Face has awarded a $2500 grant to The Friends of the Sauk River to help children and families explore the outdoors. The Friends of the Sauk River are involved in: organizing and participating in river celebrations, river cleanup days, monitoring programs, and many more activities.
Their motto is “Promote it, Paddle it, Protect it”. The Friends of the Sauk River was selected from hundreds of applications because of their mission to improve, protect, and enjoy the natural resources of the Sauk River Watershed. The grant is part of the inaugural commitment of $250,000 from The North Face Explore Fund, enabling more than 100 programs that will affect an estimated 85,000 young people.
Todd Foster, Membership Coordinator for the Friends of the Sauk River says that the Friends of the Sauk River are glad to be one of the inaugural grantees from The North Face, and that the Friends of the Sauk River are happy to advance the national movement to inspire youth to explore the outdoors.
The Friends of the Sauk River Canoe Library will be established for the 2011 paddling season. The Canoe Library will allow all community members to use Canoes, Paddles, Personal Floatation Devices and other equipment, that they may not otherwise have access to, so that they may enjoy the beauty of paddling along the Sauk River.
The Canoe Library will serve all community members with a special emphasis on youth. One of the big barriers to getting youth outdoors is access to quality equipment and the Canoe Library will break down this barrier. This will be the first program of its kind, and will get hundreds of central Minnesota youth outdoors and exploring each paddling season.
In addition, The Friends of the Sauk River have been able to advance the mission exponentially with the support of important partner organizations. Currently Gold’n Plump has committed funding for this great project, though the Friends still have a ways to go and could use more community support.
“Our goal is to enable more people to get outside and explore their world in ways that are meaningful to them,” said Steve Rendle, President of The North Face. “We’re very proud to launch the Explore Fund and support The Friends of the Sauk River and the other impressive organizations that are making outdoor exploration possible, and a priority, in communities across the country.”
The Friends of the Sauk River Canoe Library will launch during the spring of 2011. Contact Membership Coordinator Todd Foster at [email protected] for more information, or to help provide support. To learn more about The Friends of the Sauk River and The Canoe Library visitwww.friendsofthesaukriver.org. To learn more about all of the Explore Fund grantees and to keep up on their progress visit www.planetexplore.com.
About The Friends of the Sauk River
Originating in Lake Osakis near Osakis, MN, the Sauk River flows approximately 100 miles before entering into the Mississippi River near the town of Sauk Rapids, MN. This scenic river is severely threatened by discharges and runoff from sources such as septic systems, storm water, feedlots and agricultural fields. Much needs to be done to protect the river and to restore it to its original beauty.
The Friends of the Sauk River is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to improve, protect, and enjoy the natural resources of the Sauk River Watershed. The Friends of the Sauk River are involved in: organizing and participating in river celebrations, river cleanup days, monitoring programs, and many more activities.
About The North Face Explore Fund
The North Face® Explore FundTM is a grant program committed to supporting nonprofit, community organizations that break down the barriers preventing children and families from experiencing the outdoors. The Explore Fund, administered by The Outdoor Foundation, finds, engages and provides funding for new partners that help further the mission of inspiring the next generation of explorers and conservationists by helping them discover nature's playground.
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.
For more information, please visit our websites:
The Explore Fund www.explorefund.com
Planet Explore www.planetexplore.com
Friends of the Sauk River www.friendsofthesaukriver.org
St. Cloud, MN October, 2010– The North Face has awarded a $2500 grant to The Friends of the Sauk River to help children and families explore the outdoors. The Friends of the Sauk River are involved in: organizing and participating in river celebrations, river cleanup days, monitoring programs, and many more activities.
Their motto is “Promote it, Paddle it, Protect it”. The Friends of the Sauk River was selected from hundreds of applications because of their mission to improve, protect, and enjoy the natural resources of the Sauk River Watershed. The grant is part of the inaugural commitment of $250,000 from The North Face Explore Fund, enabling more than 100 programs that will affect an estimated 85,000 young people.
Todd Foster, Membership Coordinator for the Friends of the Sauk River says that the Friends of the Sauk River are glad to be one of the inaugural grantees from The North Face, and that the Friends of the Sauk River are happy to advance the national movement to inspire youth to explore the outdoors.
The Friends of the Sauk River Canoe Library will be established for the 2011 paddling season. The Canoe Library will allow all community members to use Canoes, Paddles, Personal Floatation Devices and other equipment, that they may not otherwise have access to, so that they may enjoy the beauty of paddling along the Sauk River.
The Canoe Library will serve all community members with a special emphasis on youth. One of the big barriers to getting youth outdoors is access to quality equipment and the Canoe Library will break down this barrier. This will be the first program of its kind, and will get hundreds of central Minnesota youth outdoors and exploring each paddling season.
In addition, The Friends of the Sauk River have been able to advance the mission exponentially with the support of important partner organizations. Currently Gold’n Plump has committed funding for this great project, though the Friends still have a ways to go and could use more community support.
“Our goal is to enable more people to get outside and explore their world in ways that are meaningful to them,” said Steve Rendle, President of The North Face. “We’re very proud to launch the Explore Fund and support The Friends of the Sauk River and the other impressive organizations that are making outdoor exploration possible, and a priority, in communities across the country.”
The Friends of the Sauk River Canoe Library will launch during the spring of 2011. Contact Membership Coordinator Todd Foster at [email protected] for more information, or to help provide support. To learn more about The Friends of the Sauk River and The Canoe Library visitwww.friendsofthesaukriver.org. To learn more about all of the Explore Fund grantees and to keep up on their progress visit www.planetexplore.com.
About The Friends of the Sauk River
Originating in Lake Osakis near Osakis, MN, the Sauk River flows approximately 100 miles before entering into the Mississippi River near the town of Sauk Rapids, MN. This scenic river is severely threatened by discharges and runoff from sources such as septic systems, storm water, feedlots and agricultural fields. Much needs to be done to protect the river and to restore it to its original beauty.
The Friends of the Sauk River is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to improve, protect, and enjoy the natural resources of the Sauk River Watershed. The Friends of the Sauk River are involved in: organizing and participating in river celebrations, river cleanup days, monitoring programs, and many more activities.
About The North Face Explore Fund
The North Face® Explore FundTM is a grant program committed to supporting nonprofit, community organizations that break down the barriers preventing children and families from experiencing the outdoors. The Explore Fund, administered by The Outdoor Foundation, finds, engages and provides funding for new partners that help further the mission of inspiring the next generation of explorers and conservationists by helping them discover nature's playground.
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.
For more information, please visit our websites:
The Explore Fund www.explorefund.com
Planet Explore www.planetexplore.com
Friends of the Sauk River www.friendsofthesaukriver.org