ESTES PARK, Colo.- YMCA of the Rockies welcomes the Sierra Club’s Mission Outdoors Military Families and Veteran’s Initiative (MFVI) Friday, April 13th for their third military Mission Outdoor Listening Session in 2012. The MFVI helps American military service members, veterans and their families use the land that they defended as a tool for reconnecting socially, dealing with war-related trauma, and leadership training.

Stacy Bare, the Sierra Club Military Families and Veterans Representative states: “We’ve consistently heard about the outdoors being a place for the military community to reconnect and repair – mentally, socially and from physical trauma.” The Sierra Club is actively evaluating their current initiatives to offer the best possible outdoor programming and leadership training opportunities for the military and veteran community. Currently, the Sierra Club serves more than 250,000 outings participants every year and since 2006 has counted at least 50,000 participants who are identified members of the military and veteran community.  Through the Mission Outdoor Listening Sessions the Sierra Club hopes to expand opportunities to reach the 2.5 million veterans, 1.7 million military family children, and 1 million military spouses that were involved in the recent OIF and OEF campaigns. The ultimate goal is to reach the more than 25 million current military personnel and veterans.

The Sierra Club has a long history of involvement with the military, ramping up military programming again in 2006. Military grants are given and partnerships have been formed with multiple military non-profit groups who support outdoor camps and multi-day retreats. Current partners include; the YMCA,  Armed Services YMCA, National Military Family Association, AmpSurf, Team River Runner, Veterans Expeditions, Outward Bound, Higher Ground, Women’s Wilderness Institute, Wilderness Inquiry, Wasatch Adaptive Sports and Project Sanctuary.

In March 2012, The Sierra Club sponsored a therapeutic military family retreat held by Project Sanctuary at the YMCA of the Rockies – Snow Mountain Ranch. Project Sanctuary brings military families on therapeutic recreational retreats to help reduce the negative effects of deployment which can include divorce, suicide, and abuse. In hopes of helping more military families reconnect post-deployment, YMCA of the Rockies and Project Sanctuary announced in the spring of 2011, a commitment to build a permanent retreat facility and gathering building at Snow Mountain Ranch. Project Sanctuary currently has more than 800 military families on their wait list to attend their week-long retreats.

YMCA of the Rockies shares the commitment of the Sierra Club and Project Sanctuary to helping military families work together and heal in the outdoors. Currently the Military Getaway Package and Veteran’s Appreciation Package allow for families to stay at the YMCA of the Rockies in a lodge room for two nights, with all meals included and access to numerous free and low-cost on-property activities.

YMCA of the Rockies operates two year round resort-style properties on either side of Rocky Mountain National Park. Estes Park Center, surrounded on three sides by Rocky Mountain National Park, is an 870 acre property with family activities ranging from guided snowshoe hikes in the national park and outdoor volleyball to campfires and arts and crafts. Snow Mountain Ranch, nestled in the mountains near Winter Park, has over 5,100 acres complete with 60 miles of trails, recreation facilities such as an archery range, disc golf course, and Nordic Center, and family programs for all ages. YMCA of the Rockies has been helping families grow stronger and create new memories for over 100 years.

About the Sierra Club Mission Outdoors

Mission Outdoors is Sierra Club’s initiative to provide access to outdoor experiences to people of all ages and backgrounds.  Through direct programming, advocacy and education, Mission Outdoors aims to give all Americans a meaningful outdoor experience. Read more at http://www.sierraclub.org/missionoutdoors

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