Military Families Outdoors

Sierra Club Salutes Veterans

As the country prepares to celebrate Veterans Day, Sierra Club wishes to express our thanks and appreciation to all of our Nation's Veterans, both past and present.  We honor the service and sacrifices of our troops and their families and thank them for safeguarding the ideals of liberty and democracy for generations of Americans.  In light of last week's tragic events, our collective hearts and thoughts especially go out to the Fort Hood community.

On Veterans Day, Sierra Club will join First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden for ServiceNation's Mission Serve initiative kickoff in Washington, D.C.  The purpose of Mission Serve: Forging a Continuum of Service is to unite the worlds of military and civilian service, tapping the energy, wisdom and experience of the millions of citizens—in uniform and out—who are dedicated to strengthening America.  Sierra Club President Allison Chin will join MFO and representatives from our partners at the Armed Services YMCA, National Military Family Association, and Outward Bound, as well as others from the ServiceNation coalition to inaugurate Mission Serve and honor the service of those in uniform.  

ServiceNation and Celebration

Last week, Sierra Club joined ServiceNation - a national campaign to increase service opportunities and elevate service as a core ideal and problem-solving strategy in American society.  We are excited to be a part of this effort to inspire a powerful culture of volunteerism in our country.  Check out more about ServiceNation and Sierra Club's involvement on the ServiceNation blog.  Sierra Club's Military Families Outdoors program is proud to serve our country's veterans and military families by connecting them with the healing powers of our natural heritage.

Military families definitely know what it means to serve, and they often go above and beyond their military service by serving their local communities as well.  Last week, the National Military Family Association hosted its 40th Anniversary Reception - Celebrating the Strength of Military Families.  Seven military families were recognized, one from each branch of the Uniformed Services, but it was the Leanes family (a Marine Corps family from Camp Lejeune, North Carolina) who received the top honor of the night - 2009 Military Family of the Year. These families embrace their service to the Nation and are role models in their community.  At left, the Leanes Family - 2009 Military Family of the Year. Photo courtesy of National Military Family Association.

It was a month of celebration and appreciation for veterans and military families, as Outward Bound hosted its 47th Annual Outward Bound National Benefit Dinner on October 22nd.  This year,the Dinner's focus was celebrating our nation's service members and benefiting the Outward Bound Veterans program - powerful wilderness courses that connect veterans with the healing benefits of the natural world, teamwork and challenge.  Honorees included General and Mrs. George W. Casey, Jr., Chief of Staff, United States Army. At right, General George Casey, Jr. and me at the Outward Bound Dinner.

It was great celebrating such impressive milestones with our partners at the National Military Family Association and Outward Bound.  Just a few weeks ago, we joined with our partners at Armed Services YMCA, National Military Family Association, and Outward Bound for our 2nd Annual Military Families Outdoors (MFO) Summit.  The goal of the MFO program is to connect veterans and military families with the mental and physical benefits of outdoor experiences. It was a productive weekend of reviewing and reflecting on the successes of the program so far while brainstorming and identifying plans to continue to serve veterans and military families in the coming years.  At left, Team MFO in the "Tree house" at 2nd Annual MFO Summit. 

Cheers to celebrating service, our national heroes, and our natural heritage!

Brittany

Rafting with Heroes

What an amazing week!  The Sierra Club's Military Families Outdoors is always an extremely rewarding adventure, but last week I experienced one of those special moments  - recognition of the magnitude of this program connecting our nation's unmatched natural heritage with the incredible military community serving our country.

I attended an Outward Bound Veterans Expedition with 12 veterans from the Air Force, Marine Corps,  Navy, Army National Guard and Reserves.  It was truly an honor for me to have the opportunity to participate on the course with such an amazing group of American heroes.  We spent five days rafting the Deschutes River in Oregon and engaging in challenges such as swimming rapids, cliff/rock jumping, rappelling, and hiking to Roger's Flag.

In addition to the mental and physical challenges of the course, we had the opportunity to learn more about the Deschutes River and Oregon.  Our instructors helped us gain a sense of place and appreciation for the river and its hydrology, as well as the native plants, animals, and lands as we rafted through.  We spent our days on the river and our nights sleeping under the stars.

 

Before we knew it, the week was over and it was time to say goodbye and return to our various homes  in states scattered across the country - but not before one last night of bonding, celebrating and exchanging contact info.  It was definitely an empowering experience that none of us will forget - I know I will always treasure the friendships, lessons, memories and photos!  Thanks, team!

Brittany

Camp Visits with Friends and Benefits

I can't believe that we've already reached the end of August.  Summer is just one of those seasons that seems to fly by, particularly for military families dealing with the stresses of deployments and moves, in addition to the general juggling all those busy summer activities and vacations. For me, I spent much of this month juggling deployment stress and camp visits (camp visits help cut stress!).

Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to visit Operation Purple Camp Kon-O-Kwee in Fombell,  Pennsylvania with Sierra Club President, Allison Chin.  This was Allison's first visit to an Operation Purple camp, and it was wonderful to be able to share the experience with her.  We were honored to be joined by the Chairman of the Board of Governors for the National Military Family Association, Mary Scott.  Check out some additional photos and hear more about Allison's camp experiences on her blog - Power to Change. 

Just last week, I visited ASYMCA Camp Seymour in Gig Harbor, Washington with our new MFO organizer, Emily Mulvihill.  What better introduction to the MFO program than to have Emily visit camp during her first week on the job!  We were very impressed by Camp Seymour's outdoor environmental education program.   Outdoor environmental education programs help kids gain self-esteem, personal responsibility and problem solving skills.  Sierra Club's MFO program is thrilled to provide military children with fun memorable camp experiences that help build these valuable skills.

Outdoor experiences provide benefits to adults too!  People instinctively turn to the outdoors as a way of relaxing and enhancing their well-being.  Sierra Club's partnership with Outward Bound provides combat theatre veterans and active duty service members with wilderness challenge expeditions.  The experience gives participants camaraderie, outdoor adventure, and discovery and serves as a powerful tool for helping vets readjust after leaving the combat zone.  I'm looking forward to enhancing my well-being on a white water rafting expedition with Outward Bound next month! 

Summer's almost over - be sure to get outside and enjoy it!

Brittany

Summer Camp, Service, Sierra Club and the Obama Family

Summer is here and Sierra Club's Military Families Outdoors (MFO) program is in full swing.  It's been an amazing summer already and are looking forward to more great things to come.

Last week Sierra Club MFO participated in the White House's new summer service initiative "United We Serve" event to benefit the children of military families.  Sierra Club volunteers joined with the National Military Family Association, congressional family members, the Obama family and others to stuff 15,000 backpacks for military children.  10,000 of those backpacks are being sent to kids attending the Sierra Club funded National Military Family Association's Operation Purple camps this summer.  The other 5,000 back packs will be distributed by the USO to military children in the DC area.  Backpacks were filled with snacks, books, and frisbees, as well as a baseball card of the First Dog "Bo" and a special letter from the President and First Lady.

The Sierra Club was honored to participate in the event and we are excited about White House efforts to highlight the importance of "service" and to recognize the tremendous service of military veterans, families and children.  The White House and the Corporation for National Service organized the event and are encouraging Americans to volunteer in their communities this summer.   Check out www.serve.gov for more information.   Click here to see video on the White House blog of the President and First Lady's remarks at the event. 

At right, NMFA's Patty Barron with First Lady Michelle Obama, photos courtesy of Michelle Joyner

Speaking of videos, our partners at the Armed Services YMCA just completed a new video highlighting a recent Sierra Club funded camping experience in Rock Springs, Kansas.  The camp was the first of its kind for Kansas military families with children who have physical and emotional disabilities.  The short video includes great testimonials from family members about what the camping experience meant to them.  Check out our MFO homepage to see highlights and you can also Click here to watch the video on YouTube. 

Please have a wonderful and safe 4th of July Holiday!

     --Brittany

Celebration and Appreciation

Last week the Sierra Club hosted our Military Families Outdoors (MFO) Annual Dinner at the Tabard  Inn in Washington, D.C.  It was a wonderful evening to gather with our friends and partners from the Armed Services YMCA, National Military Family Association, and Outward Bound.  We made new connections, discussed busy upcoming summer camp schedules, and celebrated the fact that by the end of this summer, together we will have provided over 26,000 veterans, military families and children with rejuvenating outdoor experiences.  The photo to the right is of Sierra Club President Allison Chin with Armed Services YMCA Executive Director Frank Gallo RADM, USN (ret.) at the MFO Dinner.

The Military Families Outdoors program is Sierra Club's way of thanking veterans and military families for their amazing service to our country.  Research shows that spending time outdoors is extremely valuable for our mental and physical health.  We are proud to be connecting military families with outdoor experiences that can serve as a powerful tool in helping heal and empower veterans and their families dealing with the stresses of war.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Navy Adm. Mike Mullen recently declared May 8th as "Military Spouse Appreciation Day." First Lady Michelle Obama said that it's a wonderful recognition, "but that's just one day. We should be doing it every day."  She said she wants every military spouse to know they're loved, valued and appreciated, and that the administration will work hard to make sure that's realized.

Please be sure to thank a military spouse today, and help demonstrate how much we love, value and appreciate our military families today and every day.

Many Thanks!

Brittany

April is the Month of the Military Child

Since 1986, April has been designated as the Month of the Military Child to recognize the important role that military children play in the armed forces community.  It is a time to applaud America's youngest heroes and thank them for the sacrifices they make and for their courageous support of their military parents.  Many exciting activities and events will be taking place for military children on and around military installations nationwide this month.

We kicked of the Month of the Military Child on March 31st with a special Camp Pendleton Premiere of our new documentary, "Red, White & Green."  Filmed at the National Military Family Association's Operation Purple Camp on Catalina Island last summer, the film showcases the camp experience of our nation's youngest heroes and highlights the benefits of outdoor experiences.  We hosted the premiere as a thank you to the families for their participation in the film and for their amazing service to our country. 

Hundreds of families received a full red carpet welcome as they arrived to watch the movie on the big screen.  We were honored to have Base Sergeant Major Cook kick off the evening with special guests including Sierra Club President Allison Chin, The Sierra Club Foundation Executive Director Peter Martin, Michelle Joyner from the National Military Family Association, and filmmaker Sally Kaplan.  It was a wonderful night to celebrate military children!

Sign ups are currently underway for this summer's Operation Purple camps.  Camps will be hosted in 37 states and are open to all military kids ages 7-17.  Find a camp near you and apply today!  Registration ends April 20th.

Please take a moment this month to tell a military child how much you appreciate their sacrifice, their dedication, and their commitment to making their military family work. 

Enjoy the spring showers and don't forget the joy of puddle splashing!

Brittany

Red, White & Green

March is "Movie Month" for Sierra Club's Military Families Outdoors.  Our new documentary film, "Red, White & Green" hits the big screen in select locations this month.  The movie was filmed at the National Military Family Association's Operation Purple Camp on Catalina Island last summer.  Starring Southern California's military kids, the film showcases the camp experience of our nation's youngest heroes and highlights the benefits of outdoor experiences.  Click here for a sneak peek at the film. 

The World Premiere of "Red, White & Green" will be at the DC Environmental Film Festival next week - the same week that registration opens for Operation Purple Camps 2009.  Be sure to check out the website starting March 16th to find a camp and register your kids for an unforgettable week of outdoor summer fun.  If you're in the DC area next week, we would love to have you join us for the free movie screening at the National Portrait Gallery at 12:30 on March 19th.  Please check out the DC Environmental Film Fest website for additional details. 

A very special West Coast Premiere will take place on March 31st at the Camp Pendleton Movie Theater.  This special screening is for the campers and families who participated in the film to watch their movie on the big screen.  The Sierra Club is thrilled to be working with the National Military Family Association to connect those military families making the greatest sacrifices for this country with the natural wonders of the land they work so hard to defend.  We are excited to present the film to the families at Camp Pendleton as a visual legacy of an unforgettable camp experience.  If you'll be in Southern California on March 31st and are interested in joining us, please let me know.

DVDs of "Red, White & Green" will be available in April and we'll be sure to let you know as we plan additional screenings.

Happy Movie Month!

Brittany

Outdoor Stimulus

As the newly passed stimulus package begins working to boost our economy, a short trip outside can work wonders to boost your well-being.  Today's tough economic times bring challenges and stress to many Americans, so it's more important than ever to spend some quality time outdoors.  Just being outside is a natural stress reliever and it's FREE fun healthy entertainment for the whole family!  You'll be reminded of the natural wonders that help make this country great and you'll come back energized and ready to take on new challenges.  

With the MFO program, we've witnessed what a difference an outdoor weekend retreat makes for a military family working to reconnect, or how a week of summer camp can rejuvenate a military child dealing with the stress of a parent's deployment.  Veterans returning from combat find that wilderness courses can provide the challenge, adventure and self-discovery to help them readjust to home and community life.  We are looking forward to another exciting year connecting military families with the healing powers of our natural heritage.

Earlier this month I traveled to Sandy Cove, Maryland for the National Military Family Association's Operation Purple Camp Director Training.  It was wonderful to meet such an amazing group of people dedicated to providing an unforgettable camp experience for military children.  Over 100 camp directors and staff members traveled from all over the country to participate in the training.  We are so thrilled to be working with the National Military Family Association to provide over 10,000 military children and families in 63 sites and 38 different states with a free Operation Purple camp experience this year.  Operation Purple summer camp registration will be opening soon, so please be sure to click here to sign up for the Operation Purple email list and be the first to find out about the 2009 camps! 

I'm excited to report that our new MFO brochure is nearly complete and headed to the printers this week.  Last month I traveled to California to do a photo-shoot with a military family to take some additional photos to include in our new brochure.  We are so grateful to the Murphy family for their help.  They were great sports and beautiful models.  We had a wonderful time and got some great shots as we hiked around the San Gabriel Mountains.

Please let me know if you're interested in a copy (or copies) of our brochure and I'll be sure to send them out to you when they come in next month.

Warm wishes!

Brittany

Hooray for the holidays!

The holiday season is here!  This has always been one of my favorite times of year because of the joy and spirit of the season, as well as the excitement and anticipation of great things to come in the new year.  In spite of the current economy, there is a feeling of hope and change in the air and the promise of better days ahead.

For the MFO team, this has been a time of review and reflection on our challenges and successes of 2008, as well as a time for planning and brainstorming for an exciting 2009.  We are looking forward to another amazing year working with our partners at the Armed Services YMCA, National Military Family Association, and Outward Bound to provide quality outdoor experiences for military veterans, service members and their families. 

We are continually striving to improve and expand our Military Families Outdoors program to connect those families making the greatest sacrifices for our country with the natural wonders that make this land great.  2009 will be our biggest year yet - camps, retreats, and courses are being planned all around the country offering unique outdoor escapes from the day-to-day stresses of military life.

As we gear up for another busy year, don't forget to take some time to get out and enjoy the winter air.  The holidays are all about connecting with family, so be sure to share in some outdoor winter fun with yours!  A crisp walk through a local park, an outdoor ice skating trip, an evening of star gazing with some hot apple cider, or even a few slides down that awesome sledding hill in the backyard are all great activities to rejuvenate and refresh - especially if holiday stress is bogging you down. 

Have a joyous and wonderful holiday, and please be sure to send some special season's greetings to our brave men and women who are serving overseas this time of year.

Warm wishes,

Brittany