Wednesday, April 11, 2007

States are Stepping It Up!

Seattle, WA


States are starting to step up and help fund outdoor education programs in both Washington and New Mexico. Our success in New Mexico in passing the Outdoor Classrooms initiative was followed by a wonderful OP-ED in the Albuquerque Journal by our New Mexico Repersentative Michael Casuas URL: http://www.abqjournal.com/opinion/guest_columns/550781opinion03-30-07.htm In Washington we are moving forward as well as HB 1677 has passed out of the Senate with a 47-0 vote http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=1677 we are now on to the Governor!

BBTO will be holding two big events in the next couple of months, our first will be in Washington DC April 26th when we announce a partnership with the National Military Family Assocoation's Purple Camps http://www.nmfa.org/site/PageServer?pagename=op_default. Purple Camps give children of Armed Services personal who have served in a foreign theater an opportunity to experience the outdoors through a week long summer camp. We are really excited about working with such a great organization to get lots of well deserved children an outdoor experience.

On May 16th in Los Angeles we will be hosting the Leave No Child Inside Panel with a distinguished panel including Sierra Club Executive Director Carl Pope, California State Senator Alex Padilla and Last Child in the Woods author Richard Louv. The panel will hopefully get some strategic ideas on how we can all work together to get connect more children with the outdoors.

The Children and Nature Network has more information on our legislation and other events and forums involving the Leave No Child Inside movement www.cnaturenet.org

Spring is bloom so get outside and enjoy!