Bay Area Wilderness Training

This week only! Donate $50 and you will have a chance to receive some BAWT swag including a new outdoor backpack, bandanas, mugs, and more! Enter to win at bawt.org/giveaway.

A friendly reminder to our Gear Library users! Our Oakland Gear Library will be closed during Shelter-in-Place restrictions until the order has been lifted. For any questions feel free to reach out to [email protected]. Stay safe!

We are excited to partner with Foster Calm - Wilderness First Aid Classes to offer two WFA courses. These are open to anyone who would like to have hands-on practice in basic first aid skills, specifically when outdoors. If you are a BAWT alumni, you will receive a discount for this course. Details and registration can be found here: https://www.bawt.org/courses/wilderness-first-aid/ Dates: January 23-24, 2021, and March 6-7th, 2021. 8 am - 5 pm. ... Location: Homewood Suites Waterfront in Oakland. COVID protocols will be in place, including limiting the group size, using an outdoor patio for skills, wearing masks, and more. Register now to secure your spot!

Thank you for joining us on #GivingTuesday! We are halfway to our goal. All month long, your end-of-year gift will continue to be matched dollar-for-dollar. bawt.org/donate

#GivingTuesday Today we thank everyone who uses nature to connect youth to something greater! Give today at bawt.org/donate.

Park of the Week! Today we are featuring the coastal Wilder Ranch State Park. Located on the Santa Cruz coastline, this park is 7,000 acres and has over 35 miles of trail to explore. "The landscape rolls down ancient wave-cut terraces through the marsh lands of a nature preserve to the seashore. Step back in time to the late 1800's and visit an early dairy ranch." Be sure to check for any closures before you go and follow social distancing protocols!

As we go into the weekend, check out this New York Times article about how outdoor learning is going in several locations around the country. Earlier in the summer, we highlighted articles speculating about how outdoor classrooms could help get kids back to school during a pandemic. Now that a few months of this unusual school year have passed, we were curious how these plans have been executed! From "Learning Gardens" to blacktop classrooms, many types of schools have adapted to teaching outside. Read more in the article below! https://www.nytimes.com///us/outdoor-classroom-design.html

Today we are featuring Liza Dadiomov, our Executive Director of Programs! How did the outdoors impact Liza in her youth? "When I was in college, I took an Outdoor Leadership course. We spent the semester learning about backpacking, risk management, navigating, and more. I had never been backpacking before in my life, didn't know many people who backpacked and felt like it might be beyond my skill level. At the end of the course, we went on a backpacking trip to Henry Coe Sta...te Park, and I was immediately hooked. I loved the feeling of self-sufficiency, carrying everything I need to survive on my back. I loved the community aspect and how the outdoors allowed me to feel like my best self and build meaningful connections with the other people in my group. This trip changed my personal and professional trajectories for the better. Last year, I went on my first Wilderness Leadership Training with BAWT, which was also at Henry Coe State Park, and got to reflect on my life between these two trips. This is one reason I am so drawn to BAWT: the Outdoor Leadership Training courses offering an entry point for those new to the outdoors, and opening up opportunities not only for youth but for educators as well." Thank you for all you do for BAWT, Liza!

Park of the Week! This week we are highlighting one of our favorite East Bay course sites- Tilden Regional Park! "There are 39.41 miles of trails in Tilden Park, through many different kinds of terrain. The larger multi-use trails allow hikers, bicyclers, and horses, some are for hikers and horses only, and the smaller single-track trails are for hikers only." The park also features a Botanic Garden that is currently open by reservation, as well as other camping and outdoor activities that may have seasonal and/or pandemic-related closures in place currently. If you are in the East Bay, be sure to check out Tilden and remember to follow proper safety and social distancing protocols!

Quick! It's the last week for our Online Garage Sale, so head over to our Shopify page to snag some last deals! Check out just a few of the fantastic items that we still have left below. Pickup days will be Oct 31 in Oakland and Nov 1 in Milpitas. Shopify: https://bay-area-wilderness-training.myshopify.com/

Today we are highlighting our amazing Executive Director of Development, Sierra Lawe! What inspires Sierra about BAWT? "Both the educators and the youth getting outside. ... I lived with my grandparents for a period of time when I was a child, and they hold a very special place in my heart. They are both retired teachers and together led outdoor guided backpacking trips at first as a way to supplement their incomes during the summer. Later, my Grandma would lead women's backpacking trips through a class offered at West Valley College. This was in the '80s, and she thought it was important for women to feel confident in the outdoors. Growing up with my mom, we were low-income and didn't have many resources. My grandparents made sure we went to summer camp each year because they understood the power of access to nature. It was not something my friends got to do. So supporting educators and youth getting outside really hits close to home for me." Thank you Sierra, we are so grateful to have you on the BAWT team!

Park of the Week! Today we are featuring one of our favorite HLT course sites, Candlestick Point State Recreation Area! At this park, "visitors can enjoy panoramic views of the San Francisco Bay, the East Bay Hills, and San Bruno Mountain as well as relax in the peaceful scenery of the park itself. Its location on the western shoreline of the San Francisco Bay provides a variety of recreational opportunities from windsurfing, fishing, bird watching and walking to simply rel...axing". Be sure to check for Covid-19 related closures if you choose to visit this park, and partake in appropriate social distancing and safety precautions!

BAWT is looking for committee volunteers! Marketing/Communications Committee: Do you have unique marketing and/or communications experience and a wealth of knowledge to share? Help us streamline and define our brand and voice on this re-energized committee! Development Committee: Do you love BAWT? How about building relationships, creating strategy, and/or planning events? If this sounds like you, consider joining the BAWT Development Committee and supporting BAWT in ensuring... we hit our long-term fundraising goals (fundraising experience is unnecessary, but a passion for BAWT is!). To learn more about either committee, contact Sierra Lawe at [email protected].

Do you or someone you know want to learn more about BAWT? Join us for one our Discovery Sessions happening on the following dates: Wednesday, October 21, 12-1pm Wednesday, October 21, 6-7pm... Meet our staff and discover ways to get involved in getting youth outdoors. We hope we get to see some new faces! Register here: https://bawt.salsalabs.org/virtualdiscoverysess/index.html

Want to read up on what's new in October for BAWT? Stay up to date with our monthly Trail Mix Newsletter! Read here: https://bawt.salsalabs.org/trailmixoctober2020

Park of the Week! We know everyone is looking for more places to explore now that the heat waves and fire activity are calming down. Today BAWT wants to highlight one of our favorite outdoor spaces, Joseph D. Grant County Park. Though we know it best as an FLT course site, this park offers 51 miles of trail for hikers and equestrians, as well as campsites, fishing, and mountain biking! Directions here: https://bit.ly/2It7njt

Thank you to our BAWT community for the love you showed to our Virtual Garage Sale so far this month! We are thrilled to pass on some fantastic items to you, and greatly appreciate your contribution to our work and programs. We still have a few items left so head over to our Shopify to check them out- some sweet ski gear is still available, just in time for the winter sports season!

There are still some great deals on the BAWT Online Garage Sale! Especially for our winter and ski items! And remember- any items that do not fit can be returned for a 100% refund! Make your purchase to support getting youth outdoors: https://bay-area-wilderness-training.myshopify.com/