It’s official and we’re looking for Inner City Outings (ICO) leaders, volunteers and supporters! If you or some of your friends would like to support this great program, please contact Karan.
Do you have backpacking or outing gear sitting in the closet that you would like to donate? Karan is looking to set up a “Gear Locker” so clean out that closet and put that gear to work!.
Please join me in wishing Karan and the Charlotte ICO team a great beginning!
March 17, 2014
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Charlotte Inner City Outings Program to Connect Youth With Nature
Charlotte, NC. Today, March 17, 2014, Charlotte Inner City Outings officially announced the launch of a new program to connect area youth with nature. Inner City Outings (ICO), is a community outreach program of the Sierra Club that seeks to provide urban youth and adults with positive outdoor experiences. The goal of Charlotte ICO is to allow participants to discover the beauty of wild places and learn how to enjoy and protect our wild environments. Programs like Inner City Outings help to enhance youth self-image, deal with the growing problem of too much screen time and childhood obesity, and develop community stewardship by “igniting student’s interest in the outdoors”.
Karan Barber, Charlotte ICO Chair, brings an enthusiasm and a wealth of experience to share with the community, “We’re excited to bring the Inner City Outings program to Charlotte. While we have some wonderful natural settings in the area, too many of our youth suffer from Nature Deficit Disorder. We want to get them off the couch and active in discovering their natural world”.
The Charlotte ICO Group will work with local agencies and community centers to lead hikes and other outings. The program is made possible by its volunteers who give generously of their time and skills to participate in training, receive first aid education, and lead outings. All ICO volunteer leaders undergo special training and screening to work with youth.
The first Inner City Outings took place in 1971 in San Francisco. Since then, this Sierra Club program has spread all across the country, helping youth, who normally wouldn’t have the chance to explore and care for the great outdoors. Individuals, agencies, and organizations that are interested in supporting or participating in Charlotte ICO should contact Karan Barber at Karan@e-corps.org or
(704) 588-3297. The only experience required is a passion to share enthusiasm for kids, teaching, the outdoors, and having fun.
For more information see the Charlotte ICO website, http://charlottesierraclub.org/outings/inner-city-outings/, and the Sierra Club ICO Website, http://content.sierraclub.org/outings/ico.
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Karan Barber, Charlotte ICO Chair
Karan leading a recent Charlotte ICO outing
NC Central Piedmont Group of the Sierra Club 