Tacoma Clinics and Events

2009 Puget Sound REI Grant Recipients

2009

2009 Puget Sound REI Grant Recipients
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Annually, REI dedicates a portion of its operating profits to help protect and restore the environment, increase access to outdoor activities, and encourage involvement in responsible outdoor recreation. REI employees nominate organizations, projects, and programs in which they are personally involved to receive funding or gear donations. For more information on REI grants, click here.

Stilly-Snohomish Fisheries Enhancement Task Force

The Stilly-Snohomish Fisheries Enhancement Task Force seeks to improve riparian and in-stream habitat at Stillwater Wildlife Area. With REI's support, invasive vegetation will be cleared from the Stillwater site and 6th grade students will plant a portion of the area with native trees and shrubs during a service learning field trip. The field trip is one component of the Task Force's extensive environmental education curriculum which includes 8 classroom lessons and 2 fieldtrips over the course of the school year. The remaining acreage at the site will be planted during an Earth Day event by volunteers of all ages from the surrounding communities. The restored vegetation at Stillwater Wildlife Area will benefit the many visitors who enjoy hiking and wildlife viewing at the site. REI's grant funds will support project coordination and leadership and will provide plants and other supplies for volunteer projects.

Washington Water Trails Association

REI's grant will provide the Washington Water Trails Association (WWTA) with resources to support its Site Steward Program. WWTA's Site Steward Program seeks to engage volunteers in environmental stewardship along the Cascadia Marine Trail. This program aims to benefit the environment, the paddling community, and future generations of paddling and recreation enthusiasts. Training and utilizing a strong group of volunteers will help WWTA serve its mission to promote advocacy, education, and stewardshipof public access to Washington's waterways for people in human and wind powered beachable watercraft. REI's grant will supply materials for training volunteers and promoting the program as well as native plants and other supplies for volunteer projects.

Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance

The Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance seeks to provide youth with opportunities to gather and spend time, develop their skills and passion for biking, engage in healthy outdoor activities, and gain a life-long commitment to stewardship. In alignment with this goal, Evergreen will develop a Youth Program which will reach youth ages 10 to 17 of all income levels throughout the Puget Sound area. In addition to the offering of kids camps, Evergreen will provide a range of services to these young people through scholarships, bicycles, equipment, and transportation. These programs will help to ensure that mountain biking is accessible to kids of all backgrounds. REI's grant will support project coordination and promotion and will provide program supplies for youth participants.

Friends of the Cedar River Watershed

Citizen-based Watershed Stewardship Program (CWSP) is an eleven-year-old partnership with two focus areas: the Cedar River Salmon Journey (CRSJ), which is a volunteer-based public outreach and training program, and the Habitat Restoration program, also volunteer-based and tied into the CRSJ. The Salmon Journey is a conservation outreach program that provides science-based training to volunteers who meet and speak with over 6,500 members of the public during the Cedar River sockeye migration each fall. The Restoration program engages volunteers to plant native species and clear noxious weeds in degraded Cedar River habitats and wetlands that often border the Cedar River Trail. Volunteers are trained to recognize noxious weeds in order to remove them from their own personal properties without the use of herbicides. REI's grant will provide funding for program coordination and promotion and will also provide volunteer supplies for trainings and projects.

Wilderness Awareness School

REI's grant will support the Wilderness Awareness Society's (WAS) Youth-Mentor Naturalist Training Program. Youth participants train in naturalism and learn to initiate and design Community Naturalist Projects to implement in their own neighborhoods. The core goal of the Youth-Mentor Naturalist Training Program is to provide inner-city youth with the opportunity to form a greater connection to nature and become naturalist mentors in their own communities. Experiences of the youth participants will ripple into their communities over the long-term as they lead Community Naturalist Projects and engage volunteer partners. REI's grant will provide tents, sleeping bags and other outdoor gear to ensure that the youth participants are well-equipped during outdoor experiences incorporated throughout the program.

Eastside Audubon Society

Eastside Audubon will improve and expand upon its programs for children and adults on the east side of Lake Washington. Eastside Audubon's programs seek to create stewards of the environment by cultivating an appreciation of birds and their habitat. These programs further encourage individuals to take volunteer action in conserving the natural spaces where people enjoy the outdoors and view birds. REI's grant funds will enable Eastside Audubon to increase the number of participants in its presentations and nature walks for schools and at camps, science fairs and other local events by providing the educational materials and supplies that these programs require. All of Eastside Audubon's services will be provided free of charge and will be followed up by offering the "Classroom in a Box" curriculum support to educational leaders.

Campfire USA Central Puget Sound Council

Camp Fire USA - Central Puget Sound Council's Camp Sealth provides hands-on environmental education programs that teach students in schools throughout the Puget Sound region about ecosystems, natural diversity, personal independence, teamwork, and stewardship of the earth. Camp Fire USA will revise Camp Sealth's environmental education curriculum to incorporate a service learning component on tree planting into all the camp's environmental education programs. Through this project, Camp Fire USA will involve elementary and middle school children from Seattle and Tacoma School Districts and adults in reforestation of 75 acres at Camp Sealth and in restoration and maintenance of 5 miles of hiking trails. REI's funds will support the purchase of tree seedlings and tools (loppers, buckets, gloves), curriculum materials, communications costs, and partial program salary.

Cascade Bicycle Club Education Foundation Major Taylor Project

Designed to support youth in spending time outdoors and keeping them physically active, the Cascade Bicycle Club Education Foundation Major Taylor Project enhances access to outdoor recreation by creating and supporting free bicycling clubs for low-income and at-risk King County youth. Each Major Taylor Project club serves a specific neighborhood or community, eliminating geographic and transportation barriers to participation, and teaches students about bicycling and bicycle maintenance as they ride through their community. With bicycles, safety gear, tools, and incentives provided by Cascade, the clubs seek to inspire positive behaviors and active living through weekly meetings and rides, workshops, and field trips. Each student will also have the opportunity to earn their own bicycle by participating in club rides and demonstrating their skill and proficiency at repairing and maintaining a bike. REI's grant will support club leaders and instructors and will provide helmets and first aid kits to keep kids safe while they ride.

Friends of the Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center

The Friends of the Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center (FOAC) is a 501�3 organization that focuses on avalanche safety. FOAC seeks to ensure that the Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center has the necessary resources to save lives through public education and awareness about avalanches and avalanche safety. REI's grant will help FOAC grow its avalanche education program by advertising the availability of, and facilitating registration for, avalanche awareness classes on a newly developed website. Through the new online sign-up process, FOAC will reach more students and educate more people than was previously possible.

Girl Scouts Totem Council

The Girl Scouts Totem Council will use REI's grant to overcome the lack of access to basic equipment that often prevents lower income girls from experiencing the outdoors. REI will provide Novara bikes that the Girl Scouts will make available onsite to all attendees at Camp River Ranch. These bikes will eliminate barriers for girls from low income backgrounds so that they can participate in all-girl bicycling camps. Camp River Ranch staff will support and integrate bicycling into existing camp program activities and create additional outdoor bicycling experiences.

Mount Tahoma Trails Association

The Mount Tahoma Trails Volunteer Nordic Ski Patrol facilitates trail use for thousands of trail users every year. Volunteer patrollers contribute thousands of volunteer hours per year, taking pleasure in assisting beginners, and meeting and greeting skiers and snowshoers of every ability level. Volunteer patrollers also groom over 25 miles of trail almost daily, using snow cats and environmentally-friendly snowmobiles. REI's grant will support the volunteer Nordic Ski Patrol by funding costs for Wilderness First Aid training, and purchasing a 'state of the art' rescue toboggan, complete with protective patient cover. REI will also provide gifts of appreciation for the volunteers.

SOS Outreach

SOS Outreach will use REI's grant to reach thousands of youth through all-year outdoor programming. Programs include snowsport-based experiences during the winter and and wilderness trips and rock climbing excursions during the summer. SOS activities seek to build participants' skills and abilities to make good choices and live productive lives through outdoor recreation. REI's grant will provide program supplies to support participants during their outdoor adventures.

YMCA B.O.L.D. Mountain School

The YMCA B.O.L.D. Mountain School is an outdoor education program of the Metrocenter YMCA that develops multi-cultural leadership skills in young men through wilderness experience. The B.O.L.D. program's 5 to 16 day backpacking, rock climbing, and mountaineering expeditions provide an opportunity for young men from different economic, ethnic, religious and social backgrounds to build multi-cultural leadership, communication, and decision making skills through shared challenges, problem solving, and fun. REI's grants will support program leaders and will provide participants with transportation and food for their expeditions.

South King County Environmental Science Center

South King County's Environmental Science center will use REI's grant to provide outdoor environmental education to underserved youth from nearby low income schools in the Highline School District. Adult volunteers will play an integral role in making possible the experiential program, designed to educate and inspire the next generation of environmental stewards. Students' families will be invited to join in a culminating celebration of the outdoors and participate in a restoration project in Seahurst Park, Burien. REI's funds will be used for project coordination and leadership and will help provide students with transportation to the outdoor learning, recreation and restoration sites.

Outdoors for All Foundation

REI's grant support will help Outdoors for all pursue a new dimension of programming. With a new warehouse conveniently-located near a multitude of recreational opportunities, Outdoors for all will begin to use this location as a base camp for individuals with disabilities and their families to drop by and rent adaptive gear whenever they choose. This form of programming empowers children and adults to determine their own schedule to take part in therapeutic outdoor recreation. Recreation activities will include adaptive winter sports programs and spring, summer and fall activities throughout the region including kayaking, canoeing, cycling, rock climbing, camping and hiking. REI's grant will support the program by providing supplies and covering warehouse operation costs.

Tacoma Metro Parks Foundation

Metro Parks Tacoma's Recreational Department will use REI's grant to increase the number of activities offered through the Sparx after school program, Outdoor Adventures Club for middle and high school age youth. Participating youth will learn about outdoor recreation, experience hands-on activities, and increase their environmental awareness. REI's grant will provide appropriate supplies, gear, and apparel to facilitate increased opportunities for youth to recreate outdoors and learn about nature and their environment.

YMCA Tacoma and Pierce County

REI's grant will enable low-income students from Tacoma schools to fully participate in YMCA Camp Seymour's Outdoor and Environmental Education (OEE) Program. These students will spend three days at Camp Seymour participating in a variety of Outdoor skills classes as well as Environmental Education classes. The OEE program mission seeks to help students learn more about themselves and their places in the world; relating to each other and being a member of a community; how they and the natural world impact each other; and, ultimately, about the relationship between people and the earth. Through growing students' awareness and appreciation, the OEE program helps students to become more responsible citizens of our planet. REI's funding will supply the program coordination expenses and outdoor equipment for students to take part in OEE.

2008 Puget Sound REI Grant Recipients
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Bike Works Seattle

Bike Works will utilize REI's grant to support the expansion of its bicycle riding programs in 2008/2009, and to build the capacity to serve more youth of color. In 2006, through REI's support, Bike Works laid the foundation for a new set of riding programs to give inner-city youth the opportunity to experience the natural environment of the Pacific Northwest and enjoy bicycling as an alternative and fun means of transportation. This year, continued support from REI will help Bike Works take these programs to a new level -- getting 50% more youth of color on bikes. Specifically, REI grant funds will cover the cost of program coordination, outreach and supplies.

Camp Fire USA Snohomish Council

Camp Fire USA seeks to expand its extensive camping program at Camp Killoqua. REI's grant will provide new camping gear to replace older broken equipment and supplement the camp's current supply to allow more kids to engage in outdoor activities. The REI gear will be used for the summer camp program, as well as school outdoor education programs and weekend Camp Fire groups. Over 3,500 participants will have the opportunity to use this REI equipment in 2008.

Cascade Land Conservancy

The Cascade Land Conservancy (CLC) will use REI grant funds for a volunteer project on the Duwamish Riverbend Hill (DRH), an 8.6 acre cultural preserve on the Duwamish River in the City of Tukwila. As a heritage site of significance in Puget Sound Salish cultural traditions, DRH offers an opportunity for King County residents to visit a place that celebrates both the antiquity and the survival of Native American cultures in the region. Duwamish Riverbend Hill offers the community an opportunity to understand their watershed and the significance of their hometown river. Funding from REI will support CLC's work to engage the community in environmental restoration, education and enjoyment of this public open space in Tukwila.

The Green Tacoma Partnership

Cascade Land Conservancy (CLC) works with the City of Tacoma, Metro Parks Tacoma, Tahoma Audubon Society, and the citizens of Tacoma to restore all of the City's forested and natural areas through a community coalition known as the Green Tacoma Partnership (GTP). GTP relies on the hard work and commitment of community volunteers to tackle the problem of habitat decline throughout Tacoma's natural areas. In order to stop the spread of the invasive plants that are choking out native vegetation, GTP will use grant resources to improve its support of current volunteers and involve a much larger volunteer base. Funding from REI will allow GTP to acquire additional tools, gloves, and medical kits as the Green Tacoma Partnership expands to support restoration work on more sites, host more restoration events and engage additional volunteers.

Citizens for a Healthy Bay

This project will expand CHB's successful Adopt-A-Wildlife-Area (AAWA) Habitat Stewardship Program. The AAWA program is a proven and documented working model for use by other groups that engage community volunteers in Tacoma's Open Space Planning Process. With the establishment of CHB's Site Management Program, volunteers routinely assist in the collection of science-based data, planting, weed removal, eradication of invasive species, and trash pickup throughout Commencement Bay. CHB has also coordinated thousands of volunteers for on-the-ground plantings on sites throughout Commencement Bay. The long-term goal is to develop an efficient, low-cost system to provide ongoing restoration site management that will ensure progress toward fully restored and enhanced habitat.

Friends of the Cedar River Watershed

Citizen-based Watershed Stewardship Program (CWSP) is a ten-year-old partnership between numerous community partners including public agencies, municipalities, Friends of the Cedar River Watershed and REI. This program focuses on two areas: the Cedar River Salmon Journey (CRSJ) and the Habitat Restoration program. The Salmon Journey is a conservation outreach program that provides science-based training to sixty volunteers regarding Cedar River salmon (and steelhead) recovery, watershed sustainability, and actions individuals can take to reduce non-point pollution. These sixty volunteers then meet and talk with over 5,250 members of the public during the Cedar River sockeye migration each fall. The Habitat Restoration program engages 700 volunteers to plant native species and clear noxious weeds in degraded Cedar River habitats and wetlands that often border the Cedar River Trail. Over 140 REI employees volunteered in these programs in 2007. REI grant funds will provide program coordination, outreach and training.

Friends of the Hylebos Wetlands

The West Hylebos Wetlands Forest Health project will enhance the health of the West Hylebos Wetlands forest ecosystem and reforest degraded portions of the system, enlarging one of the lowland Puget Sound region's last remaining forested bog wetlands. The Friends of the Hylebos completed a forest health assessment in 2007 to provide an accurate gauge of the forest's health and location of invasive species. The proposed project implements the recommendations of the assessment, providing a 3-year prescription for removing invasive plant species planting native trees and shrubs to enhance and expand the existing forest. REI's grant funds will provide support for project coordination and restoration crews that will engage in restoration work that requires a high level of expertise.

Friends of the Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center

The Friends of the Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center (FOAC) focuses on avalanche safety. The mission of FOAC in partnership with the Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center is to save lives through public education and awareness about avalanches and avalanche safety. FOAC will improve its educational outreach program by training a group of qualified instructors to provide free 2-hour introductory avalanche awareness classes to winter recreationists that may not be aware of the need for avalanche education. REI funds will be used to develop outreach materials including a brochure and updated website to advertise the availability of classes to outdoor winter recreationalists who do not currently have access to this information.

International District Housing and Social Services Project WILD

The WILD (Wilderness Inner-city Leadership Development) project works to increase outdoor recreation and stewardship opportunities for Asian and Pacific Islander youth (ages 13-21) in Seattle's urban neighborhoods. Through participation in these activities, youth enhance their understanding of both wilderness and urban environments, and build their capacity to provide leadership in protecting them. REI's funds will support outreach to new youth participants and engagement of youths' family members, to ensure sustained involvement in outdoor recreation and stewardship activities. Specifically, REI's grant will provide translation services, outdoor supplies and outreach materials.

Mount Tahoma Trails Association

The Mount Tahoma Trails Association (MTTA) provides a year-round hut-to-hut trails system that offers users of all skill levels and economic backgrounds an inspirational backcountry experience. MTTA volunteers provide all trail improvements and maintenance of facilities. Volunteers also provide trail grooming and ski patrol services throughout the winter months. The work of these volunteers ensures access for the general public to this backcountry experience. MTTA seeks to create a structure to reward and encourage the efforts and retention of committed volunteers. REI's grant will provide MTTA with Muir Woods vests to be provided as a reward to long-term volunteers who have demonstrated an ongoing commitment to the quality and safety of MTTA's trails and facilities as well as cash to support ongoing programs.

Northwest Interpretive Association

Earth Day Every Day is a stewardship program designed to inspire civic engagement and recreation in Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest by offering a series of volunteer events designed to engage the local community, increase public awareness of volunteer and recreation opportunities, and produce meaningful on-the-ground results. Every event will include learning opportunities and special incentive designed to inspire continue volunteerism on the Forest's behalf. Event activities will include planting native species, trail restoration, and invasive weed eradication to help restore the overall health of the area for future generations. This project will serve as the beginning of an ongoing volunteer and stewardship program at Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. REI grant funds will support event promotion and outreach materials as well as web resources for volunteer coordination.

Northwest Trek Foundation

Nature offers the ultimate classroom and nature with all its mystery abounds at Northwest Trek, especially in the forest surrounding 5-miles of secluded nature trails. This unique area provides guests with an opportunity to get active while observing a large variety of local wildlife and plant life. The area is being improved by increasing plant diversity and creating more wildlife, while also providing visitors with new interpretive signage and easier, safer accessibility. REI's funding will support the plant diversification of the forest area surrounding the trail system. The project will engage multiple volunteer groups. The trail system will be a featured location in the REI (Tacoma) Passport to Adventure program.

Outdoors for All Foundation

Outdoors for All seeks to enrich the quality of life for individuals with disabilities through outdoor recreation. Outdoors for All's programs engage more than 2,000 participants and 600 volunteers on an annual basis in outdoor activities that include camping, cycling, climbing, paddling and skiing. REI's grant will help provide needed outdoor equipment and support to assist Outdoors for All in outfitting its program participants. Specifically, REI's grant will provide camping gear that will be used for overnight outdoor adventures by many successive groups. REI's grant will also provide financial support for program and volunteer coordination.

Salish Sea Expeditions

Salish Sea Expeditions offers 5th to 12th graders, along with their teachers, the experience of being 'scientists and sailors' as they conduct science research of their own design on a 3-5 day expedition on Puget Sound. During the expedition, students collect and analyze water samples, sail and navigate the vessel, prepare meals, and camp in state parks. The expedition is augmented by 3-5 days of pre- and post-expedition classroom planning and synthesis. As a wrap-up to the experience, students post reports of their findings on the Salish website and/or prepare presentations. REI's grant will support the cost of equipment and staff instructors for the sailing outings.

Stilly-Snohomish Fisheries Enhancement Task Force

The Jetty Island Stewardship Project is a multi-activity and multi-partner venture to engage local citizens and youth in improving habitat and recreational opportunities by removing invasive species, collecting garbage, and restoring vegetation. Annually, 50,000 visitors come to the island to observe wildlife, explore the beach, participate in educational programs, and hike its nature trails. Jetty Island also provides a place of refuge for locally significant wildlife. The Task Force will combine efforts with Snohomish-Camano Nearshore Cooperative Committee partners to hold a United Way Day of Caring (DOC) volunteer event. In addition, the Task Force will coordinate an ongoing environmental stewardship education program for local at-risk youth that will incorporate field trips and stewardship activities on the Island. The REI grant will fund staff, travel, supplies and materials for the DOC and environmental stewardship program.

Team Survivor Northwest

Team Survivor Northwest is dedicated to offering hope and healing through fitness for female cancer survivors. Research has shown that participation in fitness activities post cancer diagnosis has a positive impact on health, longevity and mood. The Team Survivor Northwest Surviving through Cycling Project is designed to reduce the risk of cancer reoccurrence and to improve the quality of life for cancer survivors. The project offers indoor and outdoor cycling training and rides and cycling clinics tailored for cancer survivors at any fitness level and any stage of treatment and recovery. With incidences of cancer diagnosis in King County at record levels, it is increasingly important to provide survivorship options that offer ways for women with cancer to reclaim and maintain their lives. REI's grant will provide program coordination and coaching for cycling participants.

Urban Wilderness Project

Urban Wilderness Project (UWP) works to encourage positive communities by providing environmentally and culturally-based service-learning projects for youth and adults. UWP's vision is to remove the psychological, social and economic barriers associated with environmental activities. In order to engage urban youth in outdoor activity, the Urban Wilderness Project developed two programs: 1) Adventure Works, one-day, outdoor programs that gently introduce participants without prior experience to the wilderness of urban forests and forested trails outside of the city, and 2) Wilderness Works, a seventeen day, trailwork and backpacking adventure in remote outdoor locations in the North Cascades. With support from REI, the Urban Wilderness Project will be able to engage youth in a continuum of outdoor activities by combining hiking, biking, boating, trail construction and backpacking programs with winter outings, thus increasing capacity and broadening the depth of service to urban youth. REI's grant will provide clothing and gear to help keep youth participants dry and comfortable during their outdoor experiences.

Washington Water Trails Association

Washington Water Trails Association's (WWTA) mission is to promote advocacy, education and stewardship of public access to Washington's waterways for people in human and wind powered beachable watercraft. The WWTA's Triple Impact Project will increase public stewardship of Washington State waters, improve recreational paddling experience, and accelerate ongoing restoration projects at Cascadia Marine Trail campsites in Puget Sound. This project will engage paddlers in shoreline work parties and will provide education to users of the waterways about Leave No Trace practices. REI's grant funds support volunteer coordination and education as well as providing leave no trace education materials and native plants for work parties.

YMCA of Greater Seattle

The YMCA of Greater Seattle YBOYS Expeditions Program offers wilderness challenges for groups of middle and high school boys. Each expedition lasts between five and fifteen days taking place in the amazing wilderness settings of the Pacific Northwest. All boys are welcome but special effort is made to recruit boys without wilderness experience and/or the resources to undertake these adventures. Trips are led by committed, caring, and qualified adult volunteers and staff who serve as role models and mentors to the boys. YBOYS takes boys outside to enjoy nature, learn expedition leadership, conservation and outdoor living skills, and to experience fun and support through team-building efforts. YBOYS also aim to nurture and develop the next generation of diverse leaders in the outdoors and environmental fields. REI's grant will support program leadership, transportation and food.

YMCA of Tacoma and Pierce County

YMCA Camp Seymour's Teen Adventure Trips provide an opportunity for youth ages 13-18 to enjoy the natural world while developing outdoor leadership and group living skills. Teen Adventure Trips include hiking, backpacking, kayaking, camping, environmental education, and other outdoor activities at wilderness locations throughout Western Washington. Sessions are offered at the beginner, intermediate, and advanced level. Support from REI will enable Camp Seymour to provide scholarships for 20 youth from low-income families to participate in Teen Adventure Trips and camping gear that will be used by all 106 participants in the program.