Dear Leave No Child Inside Collaborative Members,
The youth section of the Children & Nature Network (Natural Leaders) are planning an event for April of 2011 called Let’s G.O.! , intended to get at least 50,000 youth across America outdoors in service projects. Here in Ohio, the five Leave No Child Inside Collaboratives would like to support this effort. We are in discussion with Governor Kasich’s office about the possibility of doing a press conference early in April to kick off this event and announce the availability of outdoor/environmental service projects (yours!) throughout Ohio. They have expressed interest but we do not yet have confirmation of their participation.
Regardless of whether we can obtain Governor Kasich’s backing for this, the Ohio Leave No Child Inside Collaboratives wants to support Let’s G.O.! and the service projects being offered by our collaborative members. If you have a service project scheduled for April 2011 (planting trees, cleaning up a park or stream, etc.), please complete the attached form and return it to me (betsy@btownsend.com) by February 15. It will be helpful to give the Governor’s office some idea of how many organizations would be involved in this.
Lastly, we would like to engage youth leaders to issue a call to action to their peers. We have already approached the Boy Scouts to assist in this effort – please let me know of other groups you might suggest, including contact information. Thanks!
PS – If you have not already seen it, Ohio LNCI was featured in the Children & Nature Network’s January newsletter http://us1.campaign-archive1.com/?u=84bc8aed7ef3c95d84fa1e04b&id=5cb609ec01&e=5ffd2f4cd1. Please be sure to especially note the section on the Report on Ohio’s Initiative to Reconnect Children with Nature if you have not already read that document. It was co-produced with ODNR and Governor Strickland’s office. We are working hard to make connections with the new administration so our work can continue at the state level.