Columbia Sportswear Company will match any donations made to the Friends of Outdoor School in the next seven days, up to $180,000. This is half of the amount needed to revive the 37-year-old program. Columbia Sportswear will facilitate donations from the general public at its three Portland area stores.
“As an outdoor Company, and as citizens of Portland, Columbia felt it was important to help keep the Outdoor School program in place,” said Tim Boyle, CEO and President of Columbia Sportswear. “We hope others will accept the challenge weve made to keep this key school program viable.”
The Save Outdoor School Coalition has through February 17, 2003, to raise the additional $360,000 needed to send Portland Public School sixth graders to a full week of Outdoor School this Spring. Half of the sixth graders in the school district attended Outdoor School in the Fall, the other half will miss the opportunity to learn about the environment first hand if the program is not funded.
