Adventure, Community and Giving: RAD’s Inspiring First Year
Outdoor Specialist Beth Knox skis with Adventure Crew teens.
With the closing of 2024, Adventure Crew’s RAD Women’s Collective wrapped up its first calendar year – and what a year it was! Together, 48 members raised $5,175 through membership dues in the Collective’s donate-what-you-can model, with another $12,000 generously contributed by a member who wishes to remain anonymous.
RAD (Raising Access and Diversity in the Outdoors) launched in March 2024 as a new community for outdoors-loving women while also serving as a giving circle to support equity-focused initiatives. This innovative model has not only enhanced our existing outdoor adventure programs but has also ignited fresh ideas for fostering inclusivity and growth.
After RAD’s inaugural annual meeting in December, members voted on three exciting initiatives to fund in 2025. We are thrilled to announce that the winning initiative is the brainchild of Beth Knox, a former Adventure Crew teen who now works as a part-time outdoor specialist for our Saturday Explorer program and full-time as a plant operator for the Metropolitan Sewer District.
Beth’s connection to the outdoors runs deep. Growing up in Winton Terrace, she found solace and inspiration in the woods behind her building, discovering the peace and beauty that nature offers. Her vision for giving back to girls with similar experiences led to the proposal, “Introduction to Camping for Girls Living in Winton Terrace.”
This initiative will provide 25 girls ages 12-18 with foundational camping skills, including the basics of camping equipment, fire-building, campfire cooking and first aid. The program will also integrate leadership development, social-emotional learning and environmental stewardship. RAD members will play an integral role as mentors, fostering a supportive and empowering experience for the participants.
We are deeply grateful to all our RAD members for their unwavering support, innovative ideas and commitment to making outdoor adventures accessible to all. 2025 is going to be a year of growth for the Collective — soon we’ll announce our lineup of events, skill-building workshops and meetings, all designed to deepen our impact and strengthen our community.
Mark your calendars! RAD will host its first speaker event, open to the public, on Friday, February 7, at the Mercantile Library. Join us as hiker and author Derick Lugo shares his inspiring journey and insights from his book, “The Unlikely Thru-Hiker.”
For women interested in learning more about RAD, visit the RAD page on our website or email me to arrange a time to connect. We can’t wait to welcome more adventurers into our circle.
Together, let’s keep Raising Access and Diversity in the outdoors – and staying RAD while we do it!
Libby