Wilderness Inquiry is thrilled to announce a partnership with the Sierra Club's Military Families Outdoors program to serve veterans on outdoor adventure training trips. These trips are designed to build on you, the veterans’ and active duty, National Guard, or Reserve leadership experience and promote lifelong outdoor recreation skills.
WI has a long history of serving veterans and their families. We serve about 800 veterans through our trips and programs every year. In the 1990s, WI led a major support program for the Agent Orange Class Assistance Program, which served Vietnam veterans with PTSD and other disabilities related to Agent Orange exposure. This past year WI partnered with the Reeve Foundation and Craig Hospital to serve veterans and their families on a five-day kayaking adventure. WI also continues to provide outdoor experiences through sponsored veteran exchange trips.
These many years of serving our veterans have only proven and strengthened our mission to provide the kind of enjoyment, learning, and healing that shared outdoor adventure can provide. One veteran who completed an Everglades trip believes the outdoors not only builds healing, but also provides team-building and personal growth:
"Being a Vietnam veteran, I have always avoided prolonged exposure to rain and getting wet. Being with others of my same bent helped me overcome this issue. I was dry, snug, and comfortable despite the environment. Sometimes, only nature can provide the right challenges at the right time."
Through this partnership with the Sierra Club, WI will provide four training trips for 36 veterans. On these trips, they will spend 6-7 days alongside fellow veterans camping, paddling, hiking, and exploring the great outdoors with our experienced trail staff who will train them to lead their own adventure trips. At each location, veterans will receive canoe or kayak instruction and lessons in outdoor leadership, outdoor cooking and food preparation, camp selection and set-up, and use of adaptive equipment for people with disabilities. Veterans will also have the opportunity to connect with representatives from local chapters of the Sierra Club to learn about the area’s local preservation efforts. The training opportunities will be offered in the following locations, each a Sierra Club priority habitat:
• Florida Everglades 10,000 Islands 6-Day
March 5-10, 2012 (12 veterans)
• Boundary Waters Canoe Area 7-Day
June 10-16, 2012 (7 veterans)
Aug 27-Sep 2, 2012 (7 veterans)
• Yellowstone Lake Backcountry Canoe 6-Day
July 27-Aug 1, 2012 (10 veterans)
Every day, Americans enjoy the freedom of exploring our shared outdoor heritage. This is our chance to say "thank you" by helping veterans gain the skills and know-how to enjoy the public lands that they have fought so hard to protect.
For more information about the program and how you can get involved, contact project director Dave Haugen at dave@wildernessinquiry.org or by phone at 612-676-9418.
We have openings!
Due to a technical problem on our website, some of you may have been given the disappointing news that all of our veteran's trips had already filled. We have good news; we've fixed the problem and there are still openings on each trip! We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.
Learn more and reserve your spot at: www.wildernessinquiry.org/veterans
I would appreciate your help in sharing this opportunity with veterans in your network.
If you have any questions, contact me at dave@wildernessinquiry.org or 763-807-0507
Posted by: David Haugen | January 10, 2012 at 07:26 AM
This is a fantastic idea! Our war veterans, aside from being honored and appreciated, need to have fun too..Outdoor activities like these would help them forget, at least temporarily, the horrors and the ordeals they went through during the war era. Plus, having their family to participate in activities like these would help strengthen their ties and help achieve a sense of peace and normality.
Posted by: Gerrard Piccirillo | April 11, 2012 at 07:49 AM
This indeed a good idea for the old folks. The activities can surely entertain them especially that they are nearing the finishing line of their lives. They must enjoy every minute of their lives. They deserve it. Maybe I will my grandfather join here. This is a lot of fun!
Posted by: Ann Haney | January 25, 2013 at 11:39 AM