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What is the Great Waters
Group A+ Community of Youth Program?
Program
Overview
The Sierra Club Great Waters Group, in partnership with the
Sierra Club Foundation, released its A+ Community of Youth program on Saturday,
April 21, 2007 in recognition of Earth Day 2007. The program is designed
to educate and invite children to explore, enjoy, and protect the outdoors.
Information is being provided by the creation and distribution of the Kid's
Guide, the development of the "A+ Community of Youth" web site,
and other coordinated activities which children can participate.
What
is the Kids’ Guide to the Outdoors?
 The "Kids’
Guide to the Outdoors" is a comprehensive 200 page guidebook designed
for children and their “wheels” (e.g., parents, guardians, friends, bicycles,
and rollerblades) to learn about the various parks and resources available
them in the surrounding communities. The guide contains main features,
mailing and web addresses, hours of operation, and driving directions
to over 100 state, county, and city parks, nature areas, nature centers
and trails in Milwaukee, Waukesha, Ozaukee, and Washington counties.
Once at a location, site-specific questions will stimulate
their exploration and thought as they visit. These questions are directed
at ages: 6 to 8, 8 to 10, and 10 to 12. One-dollar coupons are provided
for the locations that charge admission. A child can also collect stamps
at each location to receive age-appropriate gifts and an invitation to
join A+ Community of Youth.
How
much does the guide cost?
The guide’s content was developed through the
tireless efforts of the members of the Great Waters Group Environmental
Education committee. Printing costs were offset through donations. The
largest underwriting donation was provided by the Assurant Health Foundation.
Because of this generosity, 20,000 copies of the Kids’ Guide to the Outdoors
can be made available at no cost to children and their “wheels”. “We are
pleased to support this outstanding educational and recreational resource
for the people of Wisconsin,” said Rob Guilbert, President of the Assurant
Health Foundation.
Where can children
obtain their own copy?
| by location... |
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Milwaukee County:
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State Parks, County Parks and selected City
Parks offices, Wehr Nature Center, Schlitz Audubon Nature Center, Urban
Ecology Center, Head Start offices, and the Sierra Club office in Wauwatosa |
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Ozaukee County:
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Riveredge Nature Center, State and County
Park offices |
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Washington County:
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Pike Lake State Park, County Parks and Ozaukee
Washington Land Trust offices |
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Waukesha County:
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State and County Park offices and Retzer
Nature Center |
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| by type... |
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City Parks Offices:
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Franklin, Muskego, Waukesha, Brookfield,
Greenfield, Mequon, Town of Cedarburg, West Bend, New Berlin, Pewaukee |
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County Parks Offices:
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Milwaukee, Waukesha, Ozaukee, Washington,
King Community Center, Kozy Community Center |
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Nature Centers:
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Urban Ecology Center, Retzer Nature Center,
Wehr Nature Center, Riveredge Nature Center, Schlitz Audubon Nature
Center |
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State Parks Offices:
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Milwaukee DNR, Kettle Moraine Southern Unit,
Kettle Moraine Northern Unit (few copies), Pike Lake Unit, Havenwoods,
Harrington Beach State Park |
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Others:
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Sierra Club Office, Growing Power, Hawthorn
Glen, Milwaukee Public Libraries, Central Division (cataloged in the
travel section), YMCA's, Big Brothers, Big Sisters, Milwaukee Public
School science educators, and other libraries yet to be determined |
What
is the web site?
In addition to the guide, we are in the midst
of developing the A+ Community of Youth web site that will provide children
with learning resources and the ability to communicate with other children
through a sponsored Web Blog at A+
Community of Youth
What
is the purpose of the youth program's activities?
The A+ Community of Youth activities will allow
children to make use of community-building tools and give them opportunities
to seek information about various environmental concerns, and learn what
they can do to make a difference. They can even participate in local Sierra
Club activities if they so choose. Once upcoming activities and summer
events are finalized, they will be announced on the A+ Community of Youth
web site and through the local news media.
A special thanks to Harriet Iwamoto, Karen
Jensen, Cheri Briscoe, Bob "Mitch" Mitchell, Joan Janus, Mary
Braunreiter, Anne Haverfield, Dick Fischer, and Judy Mead, volunteers
who have great deal of personal time into this program. We hope
the kids and their "wheels" enjoy it!
This
page last updated on: 03/27/2008
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