Outdoor Industry Improves Boston Park, Honors Volunteers

Volunteers from the outdoor industry gathered at one of Boston’s oldest parks on Thursday, October 2, for an afternoon of community service and camaraderie during the recent Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) Rendezvous. The site of the 13th annual Volunteer Service Project was Stony Brook Reservation, in the West Roxbury and Hyde Park neighborhoods. The Stony Brook Reservation is among the first five parks established in 1894 to create the Boston Parks System, the first metropolitan park system in the U.S. With 550 acres of scenic landscape, it is the largest forested open space in the city of Boston. It is one of several Reservations established to complement Frederick Law Olmsted’s Emerald Necklace. While Stony Brook’s pool, skating rink and ball fields are well used, the trail system needed signage, marking and clearing to allow Boston residents to move beyond the parking lot and explore the natural landscape available at Stony Brook.

“With the help of outdoor industry CEOs and leaders, the 2008 Volunteer Service Project at Stony Brook Reservation continued our tradition of service by leaving a Boston recreation area in better shape than when we first arrived,” said Frank Hugelmeyer, president of OIA.

The Service Project began with Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) commissioner Richard K. Sullivan, Jr., thanking the assembled volunteers for their hard work and dedication. Along with the Appalachian Mountain Club and DCR, outdoor industry volunteers were then divided into small teams and over the course of the afternoon accomplished the following:

•5 miles of trail were blazed
•3 major sign boards were installed
•2 sign posts were installed
•200 yards of gravel were laid on a trail
•The fishing dock at Turtle Pond was completely re-decked
•A huge amount of stubborn, invasive Japanese Knotweed was removed
•One culvert was cleaned (the notorious swamp project)

“I have been in attendance at every one of the 13 Outdoor Rendezvous and once again the Service Project was the highlight,” said Larry Harrison of Nüwa Textiles. “While many of us are business competitors, we worked side by side, carrying and cutting materials, and pounding nails to accomplish something for the public to use. I feel a real debt of gratitude to each member of our team.”

This year marked Timberland’s 10th anniversary of support of the Volunteer Service Project at Rendezvous. Three volunteers were honored for their 10 years of service on the Volunteer Service Project. Larry Harrison of Nüwa Textiles, Kristi Rummel of Sierra Magazine/Sierra Club and Frank Whiting of The Whiting Group will all receive customized, signature Timberland yellow boots with their initials and a letter from Timberland CEO Jeffrey Swartz thanking them for their 10 years of dedicated service on the Volunteer Project.

Next year’s Rendezvous will be held in San Diego, California. For more information about the Rendezvous, please visit www.outdoorindustry.org.

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About Outdoor Industry Association
Outdoor Industry Association® (OIA) is a national trade association whose mission is to ensure the growth and success of the outdoor industry. OIA provides trade services for over 4000 manufacturers, distributors, suppliers, sales representatives and retailers in the outdoor industry. OIA programs include representation in government/legislative affairs, market and social research, business-to-business services and youth outreach initiatives. Educational events include the annual Rendezvous™, Outdoor University®, and the Capitol Summit. Outdoor Industry Association is based in Boulder, Colorado, and is the title sponsor of the Outdoor Retailer tradeshows. For more information go to http://www.outdoorindustry.org or call 303.444.3353.