OAK’s October Newsletter: Happy Halloween!

OAK Annual Meeting

Every Kid in a Park

OAK Recommendations for Next Administration

Cities Connecting Children to Nature

#OptOutside

Welcome to PBS Kids' Nature Cat!

Happy Bat Week!

OAK Members, we want to hear from you! Please submit stories, organizational updates, or upcoming events and opportunities to our blog, social media platforms, and this newsletter.

Do you represent a business or non-profit organization committed to getting kids and youth outdoors? Consider becoming a member!

RSVP Today: OAK's Annual Meeting
OAK's annual meeting is right around the corner! We have an exciting week planned and hope everyone can join us November 15-17 in DC to connect with each other, celebrate our recent successes, and plan for some big wins with a new Administration and Congress. Will you be joining us? RSVP here.

Every Kid in a Park
OAK members continue to step up in support of President Obama's Every Kid in a Park program. We are partnering with National Park Trust and The North Face Explore Fund to host marquee events in five cities (NYC, DC, Boston, Chicago, and San Francisco) to connect fourth graders with their nearby parks over the course of the school year.

This month, 50 students in DC visited Rock Creek Park and received their Every Kid in a Park passes.

Know a fourth grader? Download a pass today. Is your organization taking action to support President Obama's Every Kid in a Park initiative? Let us know about it.

OAK's Recommendations for the Next Administration
OAK will be releasing Transition Recommendations for the Next Administration in two weeks. We are currently collecting sign-ons from OAK members and other businesses and organizations who share our vision of a world where all children, youth and families can safely and regularly experience the outdoors. If you are not an OAK member but are interested in reviewing OAK's recommendations for potential sign-on, please email Brenna.Muller@sierraclub.org. Deadline: November 10th.

Cities Connecting Children to Nature (CCCN)
Cities Connecting Children to Nature (CCCN) is an important project helping to advance OAK's goals on the ground. Led by the Children & Nature Network and National League of Cities (in partnership with OAK and Wilderness Inquiry), CCCN helps city leaders and partners ensure all children have the opportunity to connect to the outdoors. The project is focused on 7 cities initially: Austin, Grand Rapids, Louisville, Madison, Providence, Saint Paul, and San Francisco. OAK members - complete a quick survey to let us know if you have a presence in any of these cities and would like to get involved. Thanks in advance for your help!

#OptOutside
OAK Steering Committee member REI has launched #OptOutside again this year to reclaim Black Friday as a day to be outside with family and friends! OAK is proud to partner on this important campaign, and we encourage our members to get involved. See REI's #OptOutside toolkit with creative assets and social media guidance, and find ways to get outside near you!

New Member Welcome

Welcome to OAK's newest member, PBS Kids' Nature Cat! Nature Cat is working to excite and inspire kids to get outside, and provides resources and educational materials free of charge to educators, parents and families.

Happy Halloween - and Happy Bat Week!
Did you know the last week of October is Bat Week? Check out these 13 great facts (and photos) about bats and tips for what we can do to help protect them. Happy Halloween!