Give back when you get outside this summer

AREA — The Maine West initiative is challenging people across the Oxford Hills, greater Bethel, and the River Valley areas to earn cash rewards for local youth programs by getting outside for healthy outdoor activities this summer.

Starting July 4, people can sign up for the Summer 2022 Second Nature Adventure Challenge and start tracking outdoor activities of all types on a new user-friendly SNAC Activity Tracker. If users log 1,500 outdoor, nature-based activities between July 4 and Labor Day, September 5, Maine West will contribute $6,000 to help area youth programs get kids recreating outside this fall. Activities can range from hiking and biking to swimming and even disc golf – it’s being outside and active that matters.

“We know people sometimes need a little extra incentive to make time to get out and enjoy local trails and healthy outdoor activities,” said Brendan Schauffler, facilitator of the Oxford County Wellness Collaborative and program coordinator for the Challenge. “To provide that extra incentive, the Second Nature Challenge encourages people to combine their enjoyment of nature and outdoor activity with interest in making sure local youth programs are able to get kids out to enjoy nature as well.”

Once participants reach the challenge goal of 1,500 recorded activities, Maine West will contribute $6,000 ($2,000 each) to help three local after-school programs pay for supplies, equipment, and transportation needed to help kids enjoy outdoor adventures. Beneficiaries of the Summer 2022 Second Nature Adventure Challenge include:

• Bethel Area: Mahoosuc Kids Association
• Oxford Hills: Oxford SACC
• River Valley: Western Foothills Kids Association

In the past two years, more than 500 Second Nature Challenge participants have completed more than 1,500 outdoor activities and secured $18,000 in contributions to help area non-profits address food insecurity and help get kids active outdoors.

“Mahoosuc Kids Association is excited to be one of the recipients of Second Nature Adventure Challenge funding again this year,” said MKA Director Amy Connell. “At MKA, getting kids outside and actively engaged with each other and the natural world is paramount. Support from SNAC allows MKA to increase these opportunities and provide enrichments that expose our kids to new experiences that
they can continue to pursue as they grow.”

“Funding from Maine West and the Second Nature Adventure Challenge allows us to provide enrichment activities for as many as 80 students in grades K through 4,” said Ilse Dunbar from Western Foothills Kids Association. “In the past, we have been able to extend the types of programming we offer to include STEM activities, field trips, and outdoor recreation such as biking and cross country skiing.”
Oxford SACC is excited to be chosen as a recipient of the SNAC funding,” said Program Director Jen Szantyr. “Our Out of School program serves over 150 children in Pre-K–6th grade. This funding will allow us to include outdoor learning, field trips to explore local trails and State Parks, and curriculum that delivers successful informal educational opportunities that positively impact the health of our youth.”

Signing up for the Second Nature Adventure Challenge is free and easy. Visit www.secondnaturemaine.com to get started. The Second Nature Adventure Challenge is a project of Maine West (www.mainewest.org) – a partnership of local and regional organizations working to enhance community well-being in western Maine through increased collaboration across the economic, education, health, and conservation sectors. Maine West works across the Oxford Hills, River Valley, and Bethel-Mahoosuc areas of northern Oxford County, to provide network-based, collaborative programming in three areas: Active Communities, Broadband Access and Adoption, and Educational Attainment and Aspirations.

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