A Worldwind Wrap-up of the Outdoor Retailer Show
February 1, 2010, by eugenebHoo-boy. What a couple of weeks for Outdoor Parents, Outdoor Kids.
First, it was off to Salt Lake City for the Outdoor Retailer Winter Market tradeshow. After sneaking in a couple of days skiing the Wasatch (it’d be rude not to), I arrived at the convention center’s Abravenal Hall just in time for a book signing for a dinner reception hosted by book beneficiary The Outdoor Foundation. Top execs from all the major outdoor companies were on hand (think North Face, Patagonia and the like) to listen to Foundation Executive Director Chris Fanning tour the program’s new Outdoor Nation campaign, a three-step initiative aimed at empowering youth to get youth outdoors. I, meanwhile, John Hancocked my signature for all passersby.
The next morning it was off to a similar breakfast sponsored by the Outdoor Industry Association. Speakers Chris Rutgers of San Diego’s Outdoor Outreach and Juan Martinez of the Children & Nature Network shared their own stories of how they got involved in the outdoors (and how it saved their lives), and OIA president Frank Hugelmeyer pressed everyone to do their part to combat an alarming trend of kids spending too much time inside. (A story in that day’s USA Today reported that the average young person spends
more than six hours each day in front of an electronic screen and less than four minutes
outdoors.)
Then it was onto signings at the Big Agnes and Kelty booths, where show-goers with kids lapped up the book like dogs do a puddle on a summer afternoon.
Everyone, it seemed, is jumping on the pulpit to get kids outside. The North Face announced its social media network Planet Outdoors to help people connect, as well as micro-grant program to fund groups and activities in the OF’s Outdoor Nation program. Mountain Hardwear announced a new youth line with nine girls products and eight boys products, as well as its Send a Kid to Camp program for underprivileged and at-risk youth. For every click on its Web site www.mountainhardwear.com/giveback.aspx, it will donate $1 up to $40,000 to help send kids to camp.
I met with BLM representatives, national park service administrators, and even TV executives, all of whom are eager to jump on the get-outdoors bandwagon. And after blowing through all 300 advanced copies, I’m looking forward more than ever for the book’s release on Mar. 1 to entice even more parents to do the same…
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