Going Big and Giving Back

Outdoor brands, big and small, are working hard to give back to their communities amidst tough times.

The current COVID-19 health crisis has impacted the world in uprecendented ways. Luckily, there are many helpers out there doing what they can. Along with our sister publication, SKI Magazine, we are collecting and sharing some good news about brands and companies in the outdoor industry putting profits aside and innovating where they can to help the greater good. 


Hestra Donates 38,000 Pairs of Gloves to Colorado First Responders

Hestra Gloves has donated 38,000 pairs of gloves to Colorado first responders.  The donation included 38,000 pairs of nitrile gloves that will be used by the City of Arvada’s first responders during the COVID-19 pandemic. “We are so thankful to be able to support our local first responders in this small way during the COVID-19 pandemic” says Dino Dardano, president of Hestra USA. “These individuals are doing selfless work on the front lines and we wanted to support them in a meaningful way. Many of our staff live in this community and value the opportunity to give back to those who are helping us through this tough time.”


Eldora Mountain Resort Strengthens Support of Local Community with "Play It Forward" 

Eldora Mountain Resort, located just up Boulder Canyon in Nederland, Colorado has just launched their "Play It Forward" initiative, a "community-centric philanthropic platform designed to support the local community during COVID-19 and beyond."  “As part of the fabric of this community, we have a responsibility to support those who work, live, and play here,” says Brent Tregaskis, president and general manager of Eldora. “Play It Forward will not only help strengthen the local community as we navigate today’s uncertainty—it presents an opportunity to inspire others to follow our lead through our volunteer work and the contributions we are making to Play It Forward. We want to ensure our communities thrive as destinations of choice for living and enjoying lives full of adventure.” Set up in partnership with Community Foundation Boulder County, the Play It Forward Fund allocates all dollars raised to local non-profits that are on the front lines serving the Boulder County community. POWDR Corporation owns Eldora and has set up a Play It Forward Fund at each of its resorts, seeding them all with an initial $250,000 gift. Learn more here. 


Seirus Donating Part of Online Sales to No Kid Hungry

 Seirus Innovation Donates to No Kid Hungry

Seirus Innovative Accessories, a family owned and minority run leader in cold weather protection, has pledged to donate 10% of all their online sales to No Kid Hungry. A company that has always put their community first, Seirus answered the call to help children across America who are dependent on school lunch programs during the COVID-19 outbreak. “We considered many options of how and where we could lend support during this crisis,” explains Danica Carey, Seirus Director of Marketing. “And wanting to make the biggest difference for those most underserved, it was clear the kids going without a school lunch program was one of the most affected demographics.

No Kid Hungry is an organization dedicated to helping make sure America’s kids receive three meals a day. With the Coronavirus causing schools to close nationwide, millions of vulnerable children are losing the meals they depend on. Seirus is proud to help contribute food to these children in need. “By banding together at out weakest points we can all make a huge difference,” notes Carey. “This is our way of giving back and passing forward the support we’ve received in our lives.”


  

Big Sky Save Small Business Relief Fund

The Big Sky Chamber of Commerce and Visit Big Sky (including the Big Sky Resort Area District) have teamed up to launch the Big Sky Save Small Business Relief Fund to provide emergency funds to many failing small businesses. The organizations have reallocated $210,000 from their FY20 allocations to provide for micro-grants of $2,500 -$5,000 to Big Sky’s local, small businesses. “Big Sky’s visitor economy is the lifeblood of the Big Sky community, and what affords our residents the quality of life they have here,” said Candace Carr Strauss, CEO Big Sky Chamber and Visit Big Sky. “Travel has come to a screeching halt, but resiliency is part of our destination’s DNA. Big Sky has proven time and time again that it can rise up to meet what appear to be insurmountable challenges, and we will do it again.” Learn more here.


Taos Ski Valley Gives Back to Northern New Mexico Communities

After facing an early-season shut down, Taos Ski Valley  “is working closely with other community leaders to identify unmet needs, deploy resources, and be a source of solutions,” said David Norden, CEO of Taos Ski Valley. The resort, which is a certified B-Crop, has set up the "Taos Ski Valley Foundation" and has donated $25,000 to the newly formed Fund for Taos, a specialized action fund within the Taos Community Foundation "dedicated to serving the community’s needs during the COVID-19 emergency.” The resorts's ski patrol and operations team have also helped with passing out meals to families with children out of school and the mountain's Food and Beverage team has teamed up with “Shared Table", a local food pantry, by donating produce, cheese and other fresh foods meant for the mountain. Learn more here.


Take Me Fishing Doubles Down on Their Mission to Get Folks Into Fishing Responsbily

Take Me Fishing and the Recreational Boating + Fishing Foundation are offering tools and information to help people get outside responsibly to release some steam during this confusing time. The organization has built a "toolkit" of resources including up-to-date information on boating and fishing guidelines from state to state, educational tips on learning new skills from home, as well as establishing best practices for social distancing while fishing. The campaign is on-going and a great resource for both the fishing community and outdoor recreationalists who hope to participate in their hobbies during this uncertain time. Follow along via their Instagram here. And, for more fishing-focused content, see what the Fly Fishing Film Tour has to offer. 


 The Big Sky Relief Fund with the Yellowstone Club/Lone Mountain Land Company

The Yellowstone Club Community Foundation, Spanish Peaks Community Foundation, the Big Sky Resort Tax, and the Moonlight Community Foundation have all combined efforts to create the Big Sky Relief Fund which has provided $2 million to date for COVID-19 relief for the Big Sky community. The Big Sky Relief Fund is providing money for area hospitals to pay for additional staff, to purchase ventilators in Big Sky and Bozeman and to increase in-patient capacity. Other funds are going to providing relief checks and helping the local food bank. Separately, the Yellow Stone Club Community Foundation is providing funding for free telehealth counseling and financial backing for the produciton of washable hospital gowns.  


 Gray Whale Gin Created a Virtual Bar

Gray Whale Gin Virtual Bar

With so many bartenders out of work due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Gray Whale Gin, a California based handcrafted spirits company that celebrates Pacific gray whale migration and contributes to ocean conservation, is hiring for a “shift” at their new Virtual Bar. The brand is calling on bartenders across the U.S. to create an original cocktail that brings Gray Whale Gin’s unique Californian botanicals to life and submit the recipe to info@gsdspirits.com

Selected bartenders will be paid $350 for their “shift,” which includes creating social content for their original cocktail. Over the next 15 weeks, Gray Whale Gin will celebrate each bartender and their creation on Instagram @GrayWhaleGin.


 

Arc'teryx has collaborated with local authorities to design and produce reusable medical gowns. 

Headquartered in British Columbia, Arc'teryx has assembled a team of sewers, designers, pattern makers and engineers to design and manufacture "to get to work on fulfilling Arc’teryx’s first production of 500 units of Level 3 certified gowns to help tackle the current shortage facing the healthcare workers in the local British Columbia region." These garmets will not be for sale and will be given to health authorities. The company hopes to generate 90,000 units to help during the COVID-19 crisi. Learn more here


 

DPS, Petzel, Goal Zero and Eastman Machine Company team up to produce face medical grade masks. 

 DPS SkisGoal ZeroPetzl and Eastman Machine Company are combining resources to manufacture medical-grade reusable polycarbonate face shields for the Utah Department of Health. The four brands have pulled together materials while Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is in limited supply. The face shields are being manufactured at the DPS facility, based in Salt Lake City, Utah. Learn more here


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