It is no coincidence Active SWV’s region covers the New River Gorge National Park, which encompasses 70,000 acres in southern West Virginia. This is our largest resource for outdoor activities and so many of our small communities are adjacent to the park boundary. It is our mission to provide opportunities for safe physical activities by qualifying volunteers to lead free community programs.
Two Programs in 2016
100 Mile Challenge
In celebration of 100 years of the National Park Service, the 100 Mile Challenge offers a competition to complete 100 miles in the year 2016. Register by sending your name and email address to: [email protected] and log your miles. The first 100 people to complete the challenge will be recognized and given prizes. Even your pet can compete to earn a bandanna. This program is in partnership with Active SWV, New River NPS, and the YMCA of Southern WV. Many of our Community Captains offer free programs on park trails. Check the event schedule here.
Camp Brookside
Active SWV in partnership with the National Park Service was awarded a grant for 2016 to provide equipment and volunteer training at the newly restored Camp Brookside in Summers County.
“Through a unique partnership with Active Southern West Virginia, a recent NPS Active Trails grant will bring a multitude of wellness programming to Camp Brookside, an emerging environmental education center located in Summers County, West Virginia. The funding will be used to both purchase equipment and train community volunteers to teach free public programs at Camp Brookside, including outdoor yoga, tai chi, stand up paddle boarding, fly fishing, archery and various guided hikes, including owl prowls, bird watches and plant identification hikes, in addition to wellness-focused and heritage-style cooking classes.” Read more from the National Park Service press release.
The program schedule will be released in late April and you can find all the details in our May email newsletter, webpage calendar, and on our Facebook page.
If you would like to volunteer as a Community Captain and be part of this partnership, read more here about our Community Captain Certifications and Qualification process.
We encourage everyone in our region to take advantage of resource in their backyard. Learn more about finding groups to join for park experiences here.
