Eagle County SOS Outreach students talk about the outdoors with lawmakers
Many of us who live here in the mountain probably know the answer to this question, Why do the outdoors matter? What many of us don’t know is there are kids in the midst of our beautiful mountain towns who are unable to answer that question. Through SOS Outreach programs two mountain area teenagers can tell you– the mountains are a big part of their lives – and this past week they had the chance to share their love of the outdoors with Washington lawmakers.
Francisco Holguin, 17, and Karen Nolasco, 19, were selected by the Sierra Club to attend a trip to Washington D.C. along with other outdoor advocates to help drum up support for a new bill and encourage more people to get outdoors. The bill, which will be introduced soon to the Senate by Colorado Senator Mark Udall, allocates money over the next five years to increasing outdoor access and preserving the outdoors.
The students, who were introduced to outdoor sports such as snowboarding and backpacking through youth development nonprofit SOS Outreach, met with different members of Congress and their staffs to share how outdoor activities have impacted their lives. Holguin, Nolasco and SOS Outreach Executive Director Arn Menconi met with Sen.Udall, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, Sen. Michael Bennett (D-Col.), Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-Col.) and Rep. Mike Coffman (R-Col.), among others.
The SOS Outreach representatives were among other advocates sponsored by the Sierra Club, including veterans groups, seniors, high school students and environmental advocates. Menconi said that seeing so many different groups come together to fight for a common cause shows how wide the impact of the outdoors can be. “Is it the outdoors we’re fighting for, or is it for ways to give greater opportunities to people? Maybe it’s both,” he said.
SOS Outreach’s programs partner with resorts such as Vail Resorts to allow underserved youth to experience adventure sports such as skiing, snowboarding, backpacking and mountain biking. Students in the program also are trained in leadership development and encouraged to give back to their communities.
Holguin said that despite living in the mountains his entire life, he didn’t grow up participating in “mountain activities.” It wasn’t until SOS gave him that chance as a fifth grader that he took notice, he said. “I never noticed anything besides the school and athletic fields and never thought about the ski mountains,” he said. “But then I got into SOS, and over the years I’ve gotten into camping, wilderness trips. Now I like to go running by myself in the hills with my brother.”
His family now does outdoor activities together as well, he said. His younger sisters and brother are in SOS Outreach’s snowboarding programs, and his family goes on hikes and takes camping trips together, he said.
Nolasco said that her experiences outdoors have not only gotten her into new sports, but have opened up new opportunities for her. “It’s taught me a lot about character and how to live by core values,” she said. “I hope that other kids can have the same opportunities as I have had.”
Melanie Wong
SOS Development Manager
(970) 926-9292 ext 108
