A heart for adventure
““Going outdoors, that’s just me. All the way.” ”
“I like how you can explore and go anywhere with your friends.”
These are just two of the many testimonies of local teens involved in Adventure Crew.
Since its inception in 2013, the organization has given countless Cincinnati area teens the opportunity to explore.
The hope? That local teens, especially those who might not normally have the chance to, enjoy nature, learn to ride a bike (maybe for the first time!), make friends, and so much more.
“Through Adventure Crew, city teens develop the courageous spirit to step out of their comfort zone and discover new worlds — outside in nature, and inside themselves. This deep connection to nature will change the course of their lives, no matter what environment they’re in.”
On a particularly perfect spring day, we joined Adventure Crew (and its biggest group of teens yet!) as it embarked on a day-long kayaking trip down the Little Miami River with Loveland Canoe & Kayak.
Adventure Crew’s Executive Director, Libby Hunter, tells us Adventure Crew removes the barriers of cost, access, transportation, meal costs and more so kids & teens from Cincinnati Public Schools and Northern Kentucky can have a free, all-inclusive experience in nature.
Green Crew is the baseline adventure, which introduces local teens to Adventure Crew.
“We take between 850 and 1,000 kids on adventures every year. What you’re seeing today is our baseline adventure, called The Green Crew,” says Hunter.
From there, kids rise through the crew pathways, which include rock climbing, mountain climbing, and certifications for summer youth employment.
How does Adventure Crew fund all of this fun? It has three main ways – grants, individual and corporate sponsorships and Paddlefest.
Hunter says the Ohio River Paddlefest is a massive part of this, making up “about 20% of our revenue”.
Anthony, a student at Holmes High School, signed up for Adventure Crew when his sixth period teacher mentioned the group. Anthony signed up and has been on every trip.
To learn more about Adventure Crew or donate click here!