It's finally March and spring is just around the corner. It's also registration season - another kind of March Madness...for amazing outdoor camp, internship and expedition sign-ups!
Today, March 15th, registration opens for the National Military Family Association's Operation Purple Camp. The popular summer camp program was developed by the Association to support military children dealing with the stress of war. Each camp is "purple" and open to children of any uniformed service member, active duty or reserve component.
This 7th summer of Operation Purple camps will host children at 67 locations in 35 states as well as Guam and Germany. Priority is given to military children with a parent who has been deployed, is deployed or will deploy within 15 months of camp. Camps are free to all participants thanks to support from the Sierra Club and The Sierra Club Foundation. For information about specific camp locations, dates, and to register, click here. Registration will be open until midnight EDT April 16th.
Registration is also currently open for Operation Purple Teen Leadership Camps. These camps are geared toward military children ages 15-17 who have shown an ability and willingness to lead and mentor in their communities. Leadership Camps strive to create strong teen leaders by giving them the tools needed to develop self-confidence and the opportunity to test their strengths and abilities. Each camp provides a unique environment for teens to receive leadership experience in the outdoors. Click here to see the list of camp locations, FAQs, eligibility requirements, and to apply.
Do you know a young person who (has outgrown his/her summer camp days) and has a strong passion for the outdoors? If so, they may be interested in an amazing new Sierra Club internship opportunity, dubbed "The Best Internship on Earth!" The lucky young person (age 18-25) selected to be our Outdoors Youth Ambassador will:
- Travel around the country camping, hiking, rafting, contributing to environmental service projects, and enjoying the outdoors with Sierra Club's youth programs.
- Create an awesome video blog that documents the experience
- Be based at Sierra Club Headquarters in San Francisco
- Earn a $2500 stipend for the 8 week internship, plus all expenses paid for travel
- Be outfitted with $2000 worth of gear from The North Face and Planet Explore
Click Here to apply now for "The Best Internship on Earth!" Hurry, the deadline is March 31st!
OEF/OIF veterans (of any age!) should check out the updated list of Outward Bound Veterans Wilderness Courses. This month, Outward Bound posted a new list of upcoming courses, August through November. Adventures include amazing expeditions such as canoeing the Gulf Coast, rafting in Oregon, or backpacking and rock climbing in the Sierras or the Rockies. Click here to check out the courses and sign up today! Expeditions are free thanks to support from the Sierra Club and The Sierra Club Foundation.
So many fun outdoor opportunities to sign up for this month! Be sure to register for your amazing adventures this summer and then get outside and enjoy the spring!
Brittany
