Merrell renewed its commitment as a lead partner of Outdoor Nation, a youth mobilization campaign that was launched in 2009 by The Outdoor Foundation and is expected to draw more than 1,000 Millennials to 11 U.S. cities this summer for summits where they will identify and learn how to champion outdoor causes.
The 2012 Summits will be held in Boston, New York, Washington DC, Atlanta, Minneapolis, Austin, Denver, Salt Lake City, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Each two-day Summit will bring together the next generation of outdoor activists, ages 16 to 28, to identify pressing outdoor issues, discuss and develop strategies to address these barriers and commit to taking action together. In addition to tackling the issues that are keeping their generation indoors, participants will receive training from top experts, covering such topics as community organizing, media relations and fundraising.
Last summer, Outdoor Nation drew nearly 1,000 delegates to five cities. Many participants subsequently applied for a won $2,500 micro-grants to launch outreach and advocacy programs in their communities.
As a lead partner, Merrell will sponsor up to 35 delegates who will not only attend the Summits but also serve as outreach ambassadors working as a team to share experiences from the Summits as well as subsequent project updates. Last year, Merrell sponsored 25 delegates who are actively spearheading on-the-ground efforts to connect a new generation with the outdoors.
The Outdoor Foundation is a not-for-profit organization created by Outdoor Industry Association to inspire and grow future generations of outdoor enthusiasts.
