Santa Fe Clinics and Events

REI Gives: 2009 REI Grant Recipients - New Mexico

2009 - 2010

National Indian Youth Leadership Development Project, Inc.
NIYLP Youth Services Project
The National Indian Youth Leadership Project (NIYLP) will use REI's grant to provide Project Venture direct services to Native American middle school youth in Northwest and Central New Mexico. Project Venture is a Model Program for culture-based adventure and experiential learning activities that develop positive life skills for Native students; increase participation in outdoor recreation; increase community involvement; and decrease the use of alcohol, tobacco and drug abuse. NIYLP serves as a resource for Project Venture to 12 statewide locations as well as 15 schools. REI funds will help NYLP maintain the highest standards of equipment and safety for hiking, backpacking, ropes course, rafting, rock climbing and winter sports, and increase the number of Native youth receiving Project Venture in their communities by implementing high quality outdoor programs in New Mexico.

New Mexico Wilderness Alliance
New Mexico Wild Guide-
2010 Hiking and Volunteer Service Projects
New Mexico Wilderness Alliance seeks to increase participation in guided hikes and volunteer service projects with the overall aim of educating people about New Mexico's wild public lands. The New Mexico Wilderness Alliance will use REI's grant to create a hiking guide and volunteer project manual that will be distributed across the state. This guide will provide detailed outlines of guided 2010 hikes and volunteer projects and will be designed to educate and engage people in Mew Mexico's wildlands and their protection.

Trips For Kids Rio Grande
Albuquerque Public Schools Collaboration
Trips for Kids Rio Grande will begin collaboration with Albuquerque Public Schools' PE programs through the support of REI's grant. TFK Rio Grande's intent is to support select middle and high school PE programs with physical fitness activities by way of mountain biking. Youth will participate in trail rides led by trained TFK volunteers to nurture active lifestyles and encourage an appreciation for the outdoors. REI's grant funds will support promotion of TFK Rio Grande's activities to recruit student participants. REI grant funds will also provide tools and equipment to facilitate improved and more frequent mountain biking outings for youth.

Adaptive Ski Program
2009/2010 season
Adaptive Ski Program Scholarships and Helmets
The Adaptive Ski Program (ASP) seeks to connect members of the disabled community to nature by providing ski and snowboard lessons every winter. ASP lessons are geared towards accessibility for this often overlooked group. Focusing on safety and fun, the ASP provides a yearly average of 1,000 lessons to over 250 students. The ASP offers programs for a modest tuition and provides scholarship assistance to those in need. Additionally, the ASP outfits students will all necessary apparel to be safe and successful in the winter elements. REI's grant will give ASP with the resources to provide scholarships to those in need and ensure participant safety through the purchase of new ski/snowboard helmets.

Audubon New Mexico
Randall Davey Audubon Center's Leadership Camp
Audubon New Mexico and the Randall Davey Audubon Center will use REI's grant to pilot its first series of youth leadership camps for middle-school and high-school students. The camps will seek to foster environmental stewardship by connecting campers with their local environment through backpacking experiences. During the course of the camps, Audubon educators will teach Leave No Trace principles and train young leaders on ways to reduce their impact when spending time outdoors. REI's grant will provide backpacks and gear to outfit the young leaders during their camp experience.

Santa Fe Conservation Trust
Trails Alliance of Santa Fe
The Santa Fe Conservation Trust's (Trust) volunteer trails program seeks to engage and train volunteers to maintain over 40 miles of trails in the City of Santa Fe. The Trust trains and works with volunteers to increase their understanding of the safest and best techniques to maintain the trails. The entire community of residents and visitors will better enjoy the trails with the improvements that the volunteers accomplish. A grant from REI will enhance the Trust's ability to purchase more tools to support volunteers, track trail work accomplishments and map major problems on the trails that need to be addressed by volunteer teams.