  
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 13, 2012
Contacts:
Rebecca Silver, Sierra Club, Rebecca.Silver@sierraclub.org, 212-791-3600
Jeff Wolin, National Park Service, Jeff_Wolin@nps.org, 719-748-3253
Joshua Baruch, CWRAG, Joshua@cwrag.com,
720-242-9828
Service Members reconnect with public lands they fight to
defend
Sierra Club, National Park Service and Colorado Wilderness
Rides and Guides collaborate to facilitate meaningful outdoor experience for
vets
(COLORADO SPRINGS, CO – Feb. 13, 2012) – On February 18, 2012, 10 airmen from
Peterson Air Force Base and 10 soldiers from Fort Carson will convene at Black
Canyon of the Gunnison and Curecanti National Recreation Area for a free,
adventure-packed weekend. The service
members will camp, snowshoe and cross country ski along the snowy rim of the
magnificent Black Canyon and they will ice fish on the frozen reservoir at
Curecanti National Recreation Area.
The Sierra
Club, Colorado
Wilderness Rides and Guides (CWRAG) and the National Park Service
(NPS) forged a unique partnership to organize and execute this inaugural “Post
to Parks” event. Motivated by the belief that time in the outdoors eases the
transition back to civilian life, these groups joined forces to create an
opportunity for soldiers to build community and reconnect with the grounds they
served to defend.
“We know that outdoor experiences are fundamental to
reintegration and we want to say thank you to our service members in a
meaningful way,” said Stacy Bare, a veteran, outdoor enthusiast and head of the
Sierra Club’s Military Families and Veterans Initiatives, a major sponsor of
the event. “Working together with the National Park Service and other partners
allows us to ensure these vets can explore and enjoy the lands they help to
protect.”
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park and Curecanti
National Recreation Area are hosting the trip while Florissant Fossil Beds
National Monument, through its “Post to Parks Program,” is acting as the
liaison between all groups. “The
National Park Service is excited to help connect the military community with their
parks,” said Jeff Wolin, a park ranger at Florissant National Monument. “Our
director, Jon Jarvis, recently said ‘We need to prepare parks for one
million returning veterans and their families where they can reestablish
themselves, find peace and quiet.’ That's what this trip is all about.”
The Ft. Carson Better Opportunity for Single Soldiers
program, Peterson Air Force Base’s Airmen and Family Readiness Office, and the
Morale, Welfare, and Recreation Program have provided extensive support and
coordination for this effort. “The
cooperation and meaningful collaboration of eight different organizations is
setting a new standard for what we can accomplish together to serve and support
the men and women of our Armed Forces,” added Bare.
Boulder-based Colorado
Wilderness Rides and Guides, a leading supporter of another veteran
outdoor focused non-profit, Veterans Expeditions,
will coordinate the logistics of the trip and provide transportation. Owner and
Senior Guide Joshua Baruch, who grew up in a military household, and his
mother, Heidi Baruch, a nurse who served two tours in Vietnam, will help lead
the trip.
Planning is already underway for future trips that will
allow more active-duty, National Guard, reservists, veterans, and their families
explore our National Parks and Public Lands in 2012. More information can be
found at: www.sierraclub.org/military or http://www.coloradowildernessridesandguides.com.
About
National Park Service
Since 1916,
the American people have entrusted the National Park Service with the care of
their national parks. With the help of volunteers and park partners, we are
proud to safeguard these nearly 400 places and to share their stories with more
than 275 million visitors every year. But our work doesn't stop there. We are proud that tribes, local governments,
nonprofit organizations, businesses, and individual citizens ask for our help
in revitalizing their communities,
preserving local history, celebrating local heritage, and creating close to
home opportunities for kids and families to get outside, be active, and have
fun. For more information, please visit www.nps.gov.
About the Military Families and Veterans Initiative
Sierra
Club's Military Families and Veterans Initiative is part of Mission Outdoors,
the Sierra Club’s campaign to provide access to outdoor experiences to people
of all ages and backgrounds. MFVI makes
available a variety of opportunities for American Military Service Members,
Veterans, and their families to experience the freedom of the land they
defend. For more information, please
visit http://www.sierraclub.org/military.
About
Colorado Wilderness Rides and Guides
Colorado Wilderness Rides and Guides is an outdoor adventure
company based in Boulder, Colorado. CWRAG
specializes in guided trips, team building, event planning, and
wilderness themed transportation services. Founded in 2009 by Joshua Baruch,
CWRAG provides each guest with a unique
mountain travel experience and serves as an adventure hub and educational
center for individuals and groups. For more information about Colorado Wilderness
Rides and Guides, please visit http://www.coloradowildernessridesandguides.com.
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