OARS and the National Park Foundation Join Forces to Protect Our Parks & Get Kids Outside

Boats and rivers, rods and reels, kids and the outdoors, America and national parks; some things just belong together.

This year, OARS is proud to announce a two-pronged partnership with the National Park Foundation (NPF), the official charity of America’s national parks:

• Donating one percent of national park trip sales to NPF
• Providing trips to NPF to help get underserved kids into the great outdoors

This partnership celebrates the Find Your Park movement, commemorating the milestone centennial anniversary of the National Park Service in 2016 and setting the stage for the national parks’ next 100 years.

Beginning this year, one percent of all proceeds from OARS trips operated in Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Crater Lake National Park, Dinosaur National Monument, Grand Teton National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Yosemite National Park and from guided hiking trips in Grand Canyon National Park will go to NPF.

“We strongly support the mission of the National Park Service to ‘preserve unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the National Park System for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations,’” said George Wendt, OARS President and Founder. “By partnering with the National Park Foundation, our goal is to play a role in making park experiences possible for young people and to help them develop a passion for the outdoors.”

OARS has committed a minimum of $50,000 through the end of 2016 to support the National Park Foundation’s mission to protect America’s treasured places, connect all people with parks, and inspire the next generation of park stewards.

Additionally, OARS will provide $95,000 in national park trips to be used in support of National Park Foundation programs, like Open OutDoors for Kids, to help get underserved youth into parks.

As part of this partnership, OARS is exploring ways to get groups of kids on multi-day wilderness trips in 2016. Possible trips could include a Grand Canyon National Park trip for tribal youth, a rafting trip at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area for local Navajo youth, and a sea kayaking trip for underserved kids at Grand Teton National Park.

“Our national parks provide transformative, life-changing experiences that everyone deserves to have. As we move into the second century of the National Park Service and look to connect all people to America’s treasured places through our Find Your Park movement, we are grateful for OARS’ shared commitment to engaging the next generation of park stewards,” added Susan Newton, senior vice president of grants & programs for NPF.