April 2009 Issue

580 Adults Trained
7,612 Youth Served

What's Inside

» Kyle's Notes
» Reflections from the Field
» Volunteer with BAWT
» OAK- Outdoor Adventures For Kids
» CFK Fundraising Night at Elixir
» Backyard Backcountry
» Big Thanks to Columbia!
» Win a $25 REI Gift Certificate!

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BAWT has officially entered the fray -the Facebook fray that is. At BAWT's 10 year Birthday Bash (there is a great video on our YouTube Channel if you missed it), BAWT launched "Get Kids Outdoors" - a Facebook Cause that has taken off. In the first three weeks over 1,000 people joined the cause and donated well over $1,500.

BAWT exists to connect youth to wilderness, so it is indeed ironic that we can further our mission through people clicking a mouse while looking at a computer screen! But social networking clearly holds promise that we intend to tap, and we're excited to invite you to join.

Our initial goal is not yet met- $10K in 10 weeks - all through $10 donations. As I type, we have raised $2,158, but we have got four weeks left to reach our goal. If you are on Facebook, check out Get Kids Outdoors. Join, invite your friends, then chip in $10 bucks! If you don't Facebook, get involved in person. Starting TOMORROW NIGHT we launch a monthly volunteer night - read more here. There are dozens of ways for you to help BAWT get youth outdoors. Read more about us and then visit www.bawt.org/involve/ to learn more.

Cheers, Kyle

Kyle Macdonald
Founder and CEO

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Reflections From the Field

Students from Mission Graduates on, Why spending time in nature is important?

 You feel free, nature is fun, and everybody is happy."

"It feels good to get away from everything and enjoy the outdoors.I feel more comfortable in nature than in the city."

 "I learn more about myself and others. I can develop and grow as a person!

-Thanks to Aaron Gilbert and Mission Graduates for the hundreds and hundreds of youth that they take outdoors each and every year using BAWT gear and support.

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We Could Use Your Help Getting Youth Outdoors!

Volunteer with Bay Area Wilderness Training for ONE NIGHT this Month 

• Help repair, sort and clean gear
• Fold and stuff mailings
• Learn about BAWT making a difference in your community
• Share laughs and yummy beer with a vibrant community of volunteers and youth-workers
• Meet hiking partners for your next trip!

 

When: April 15th, 6-9 pm  and on the third Wednesday of every month this Spring.

Where: 2301 Broadway Avenue in Oakland - enter on 23rd, behind the Lucky Goldfish

RSVP: Cliff

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What are you doing this summer?

ZQ - former BAWT intern - is hiking 1,000 miles of the Continental Divide trail from Yellowstone to the Canadian border. Why is he doing it?

I'm excited by the beauty of the landscape and the self-reliance that is required by a solo thru-hike, he says.

We're proud that ZQ is making his trip an Outdoor Adventure for Kids. His goal is to raise $5,000 for Bay Area Wilderness Training $5 for every mile he walks.

ZQ completed a six-month internship for Bay Area Wilderness Training and continues to be an active volunteer. When he graduates from UC Berkeley this year, he plans to return to his homeland, Singapore, where he'll use his forestry degree within the National Park system.

What is Outdoor Adventures for Kids OAK:

-  Free to Join

-  Any Adventure You Choose

-  Every Dollar Raised Gets Kids Outdoors!

-  Gets YOU Outdoors!

To learn more about how BAWT can help you fundraise and gear up for your own adventure to benefit youth in the Bay Area visit OAK or email Cliff Agocs

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Toast Your Support for BAWT

Elixir - a Mission District nightclub - is throwing a fundraiser for BAWT and Climbing for Kids

Join the fun Monday April 20^th from 9 pm to 2 am.

Proceeds from the tip jar will all go to Bay Area Wilderness Training!

More information available here. Please click here for directions and email Brooke for questions.

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Backyard Backcountry

This month we launch a new feature of the newsletter, Backyard Backcountry, designed to highlight gems of the Bay Area that are relatively close by, easily accessible, and promise to be enjoyable outings for kids.

This month's pick is Contra Costa County's Mt. Diablo State Park, accessible from Walnut Creek via North Gate Road. It takes about an hour to drive to the entrance gate from San Francisco, and another hour to drive to the very top of the mountain. Admission is $7 per vehicle. The park is open daily from 8:00 am to sunset.

Mt. Diablo State Park offers excellent camping, hiking, and rock climbing opportunities.  The mountain has five group campsites that can accommodate between 20 and 50 people per site. All campsites have picnic tables, fire pits or stoves, water and rest rooms. Campsites can be reserved on-line and in advance of your trip. Rates are typically $20 per night.

About half way up the mountain, popular Rock City offers plentiful giant sandstone boulders for climbing and a number of small caves to explore. Kids really enjoy this area, and if they follow the trail of giant boulders to their end they will be rewarded with a spectacular view.

Wildflowers on Mt. Diablo are at their best in April, so this is the perfect time to take a hike!  The best wildflower hikes begin at Mitchell Canyon, which also has an interpretive center that is open on weekends. The center provides information about the park's geology, wildlife, and wildflowers currently in bloom. During your hike, see how many Chinese Houses, Wind Poppies, or Fairy Lanterns you can find.

The top of Mt. Diablo's 3,849 foot peak is home to the summit museum and visitor center. Here you will find exhibits that highlight the cultural and natural history of the park. Admission is free. Just below the summit is the Mary Bowerman Trail, a .7 mile loop that offers wonderful views of the valley below, and on a clear day the Sierra Nevada Mountain range to the east.

Two notes of caution. First, due to this year's low rainfall, water conservation is in effect. Always call the park before going on your trip to find out about the availability of water. Second, Mt. Diablo is very hot in the summer, typically between 90 and 100 degrees daily, so best to plan a trip for spring or fall.

For more information about Mt. Diablo State Park, call 925-837-2525 or check out its website via www.parks.ca.gov

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New Gear has Arrived!

 

BAWT recently received its largest ever single donation of gear from Columbia Sportswear Company, valued at over $110, 000 dollars! The new gear includes a variety of outerwear, such as snow jackets, rain pants and fleece of every color. This donation enables BAWT to replace lots of its old and worn out gear with brand new product. Thanks to Columbia, kids will stay warm and look sharp on their next outdoor adventure. 

Thanks Columbia, for providing great gear and for enabling BAWT to advance its mission of getting kids outdoors!

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It's Time for a BAWT Photo & Testimonial Contest!

 We want to see your pictures and read about your experience in taking BAWT's classes, using BAWT gear, and especially about how BAWT helped you get young people into the wilderness. The fabulous prize for the winner in each category is a $25 REI gift certificate.

This is how you enter:

1. Choose five of your best, original, high-resolution photos, either digital or hard copy.

2. Email photos to us or send them in a CD, stating the categories of the photos

3. Repeat, if necessary! Multiple entries are encouraged. We will can never have too many photos!

The submission deadline is April 30th.

The five submission categories are:

1. Adults outdoors (hiking, camping, etc.)

2. Kids outdoors (hiking, camping, etc.)

3. Nature shots (California scenery, plant life, wildlife)

4. Snow/winter (snow-shoeing, snow camping, snowball fights, sledding)

5. Testimonials (Word document, email, text file, handwritten card, etc.)

Photos should be accompanied by the name of your organization, trip date and photo credit (who took the photo). Email submissions to lilli@bawt.org, or mail them to us at our new address: 2301 Broadway, Suite B, Oakland, CA. 94612

All contestants grant Bay Area Wilderness Training the right to use and publish all images received. Everyone in the photo should give permission for the use of his or her image and likeness (photos will be used in promotional pieces such as our website, annual report and program brochures).

Questions? Contact Lilli at (510) 452-2298 or lilli@bawt.org

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