Vashon Wilderness Program

"As long as I live, I'll hear waterfalls and birds and winds sing. I'll acquaint myself with the glaciers and wild gardens and get as near the heart of the world as I can." — John Muir

The Kelly Ann Brown Foundation continued our support of the wonderful nonprofit Vashon Wilderness Program in 2020. Despite the challenges due to the pandemic, VWP, which provides outdoor nature learning to children and teens, had plenty to report. Their dynamic executive director Stacey Hinden let us know how they tailored their programs to continue to support kids while they sheltered in place:
 
"As the spring nettle returned to the land, our community, like so many others, retreated to the safety of our own homes. Live programs were suspended, while others were cancelled completely. While Covid wreaked havoc on the very fabric of society, VWP awoke to a resounding commitment to continue doing what we do best - connect! Our nature mentors swiftly pivoted to provide distance learning, weaving song, story, nature updates, sensory games, and skill-builders online with asynchronous outdoor missions. It was heartening to see everyone's faces on our Zoom calls and hear the kids' enthusiasm for sharing their own nature experiences with their mentors. They are full of wonder, awe, and appreciation!! Never before had our deep nature connection mentoring been so essential."

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They are now back outdoors with 144 kids ages 4 to17:
 
"Over 155 masks were handcrafted for our staff and program families by a local volunteer organization, games and activities were modified for physical distancing, and health screenings and other Covid Operational plans were established to create as safe an environment as possible."
 
Another exciting development for VWP over the past year is their growing partnership with Vashon Island School District, which now awards high school credit for participating in VWP.
 
KABF is happy to support this innovative and educational experience. Click here for more information.