The North Face Remains Lead Outdoor Nation Sponsor

 

Launched in 2010 in New York City with its inaugural youth summit, the largest and most diverse gathering of its kind, Outdoor Nation has sparked a movement that is empowering the millennial generation to reconnect, redefine and rediscover America as an Outdoor Nation and to champion the outdoors on campuses and in communities.

 

Presented by The North Face, the Outdoor Nation Summer Summits will kick off in June with the second annual Outdoor Nation Youth Congress in New York City and will be followed by regional summits in New York City, Atlanta, Minneapolis, Denver and San Francisco from June 23 through July 31, 2011.

 

In New York and each region, youth delegates will brainstorm project ideas that address regional issues preventing youth from spending time outdoors, including cultural relevance, access, cost, safety and the environmental health of local outdoor spaces.

 

Delegates will vote on the top proposals and receive funding and training from the Outdoor Foundation to carry out these projects with the ultimate goal of helping more young people develop a lasting relationship with the outdoors. Tied to every Summit is a Summer Fun Day celebration held in a nearby park to highlight the incredible range of outdoor recreation opportunities for local residents. All events are open to the community and are expected to attract thousands of local residents.

 

“Were extremely proud to be a founding partner of such a groundbreaking initiative bringing young people together to share their passion for the outdoors and ultimately find better ways to connect people and nature,” said Todd Spaletto, president of The North Face. “At The North Face, we look to inspire the next generation of outdoor explorers and conservationists, and Outdoor Nation is helping to do that by providing resources to get more people outside more often.”

 

In addition to their Presenting Sponsorship of all 2011 Outdoor Nation Regional Youth Summits, The North Face is also supporting Outdoor Nationâ€s national goals as exclusive sponsor of the Outdoor Nation National Congress. In June in New York City, the National Congress, made up of a select group of youth leaders representing every state, will gather to set the national agenda that will ultimately inform and empower the regional meetings.

National Congress delegates will have the distinct honor of camping out in New York’s Central Park and will participate in a campfire conversation with some of the inspirational athletes also supported by the North Face.

 

Outdoor Nation recently launched a “call for delegates,” seeking talented and passionate youth leaders from the millennial generation to take part in the summits. Youth leaders interested in participating can apply online through Outdoor Nation’s new community website at www.OutdoorNation.org.

 

“The youth-led nature of Outdoor Nation relies on partners who believe in empowering and equipping young people to determine and pursue their own agenda,” said Chris Fanning, executive director of the Outdoor Foundation. “The North Face has been truly unmatched in this regard, investing with us as a Founding partner and working with us every step of the way to ensure that the millennials and all future generations will enjoy and benefit from a strong connection with the outdoors.”