The Conservation Alliance raised $13,000 in under two hours at a fundraising event organized by Keen Footwear at the recent Outdoor Retailer Winter Market in Salt Lake City. The funds will support the Conservation Alliance’s efforts to protect wild places for their habitat and recreational values.

Keen gave a pair of its new Ochoco trail running shoes to anyone who donated $35 to the Alliance. A throng of several hundred people surrounded the Keen Footwear booth to make their donations and claim their shoes.

Patagonia and prAna also participated in the event. The first six people who donated $100 walked away with a Patagonia down jacket. PrAna added several jackets and beanies to the product mix. Keen, Patagonia, and prAna are all members of The Conservation Alliance.

“It is great to see our members stepping up to support the Conservation Alliance beyond simply paying their membership dues,” said John Sterling, Executive Director of the Alliance. “Their generous donations of product will help us protect the wild places that are important to outdoor industry customers.”

The event marked the second time Keen Footwear has offered product to Conservation Alliance donors. In August, Keen hosted a “Free Flip Flop” event, which raised $8,000 for the Alliance.

“We really wanted to break the $8,000 mark this time, and are thrilled at the result,” said Mario DiFalco, Keen’s Director of Marketing Communications. “It’s satisfying to know that Keen product can generate such an outpouring of support for the Conservation Alliance.”

The trade show event was part of a larger partnership between Keen Footwear and the Conservation Alliance. In 2005, Keen announced that it would match the first year’s dues of any company that joins the Conservation Alliance, up to $120,000. The booth event also served to recognize the 24 companies who have joined the Alliance since Keen offered the challenge.

“Our partnership with Keen has strengthened the Conservation Alliance in so many ways. As a result of the partnership, we have more members, a higher profile within the industry, and most importantly, we have more funding available to support conservation organizations,” said Sterling.

“This greater capacity helped us play a key role in protecting wildlands in Alaska, Oregon, Colorado, and Utah in 2005,” he continued. “We should all be proud that the outdoor industry is becoming one of the most conservation-minded of all business sectors.”