Big news from the American Hiking Society: The organization has been selected as a 2016 Explore Fund grant winner by The North Face! The funds are to be used for the group’s Volunteer Vacations program, which educates people in the history and conservation of trails and public lands.
The award coincides with both the 100th anniversary of the National Parks Service as well as the 40th birthday of the American Hiking Society. A volunteer organization, the society sponsors group efforts to clean up trails, as well as perform maintenance projects, which is of great help to the National Parks Service. The goal is to teach people to be good stewards of the lands that we all share.
Society President Gregory Miller expressed the group’s excitement, saying, “We are thrilled that The North Face has recognized American Hiking Society’s Volunteer Vacations program as part of the national movement to inspire and engage people in outdoor exploration.”
The American Hiking Society was founded in 1975 and is the only national, recreation based nonprofit organization dedicated to protection of US hiking trails. The group also focuses on promoting hiking as an experience, as well as safeguarding the natural environments surrounding trails.
Founded in 1966, The North Face is a major provider of hiking and outdoor gear, and is a household name to outdoor enthusiasts. A total of 45 non profit organizations were selected to receive grants in 2016. They chose the American Hiking Society because of the group’s methods of using outdoor exploration as a tool to promote social change as well as personal development in individuals.
“In supporting American Hiking Society’s Volunteer Vacations program,” added Miller, “The North Face is empowering a new generation of trail stewards, providing critical volunteer assistance to public land managers, and inspiring outdoor enthusiasts to champion environmental conservation issues across the country.”
