Vasque Creates Project Thanks to Preserve Trails Nationwide

Performance outdoor footwear manufacturer Vasque announces the creation of its newest initiative to help protect and preserve trails nationwide: PROJECT Thanks. The program is aligned with every race series within its event-marketing program, the Vasque PROJECT, and has been developed to drive awareness and donations to marquee nonprofit groups working to preserve trails across the country.

The Vasque PROJECT is an effort, through nation-wide sponsorship of trail races, to foster competition, community, and stewardship. Through PROJECT Thanks, Vasque PROJECT event directors encourage partners to donate a portion of race fees to trail preservation or similar philanthropic groups in their local area. Vasque will also help to promote these groups as well as match race funds. Vasque has partnered with such groups as the Wilderness Trail Running Association (aka Boonies) in Chattanooga, Kings County Trail Maintenance in Seattle, and the Navarino Nature Center in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, to name a few. Each group provides critical maintenance and preservation services to the beautiful natural areas in their region.

“The Vasque PROJECT is really about giving back,” says Vasque director of marketing Sarah Pitts. “Our goal is to connect with communities in a meaningful and beneficial way. It is important for Vasque to get involved corporately, but on a community level versus just writing a check to a big national organization and calling it good,” continues Pitts. “It’s the local communities than can really make a difference because it’s personal to them. We leaned on our great race partners to help discover what project we could most affect. It’s inspiring for us to know that we gave back to the outdoor community on a more intimate level. We know our corporate dollars can really help these trails.”

Project Thanks was sincerely endorsed by event promoters nationwide. Great Lakes Endurance, which organizes four Vasque Project Events in Upper Michigan and Northern Wisconsin, donated a total of $5,000 in 2008 to groups involved in environmental education, land conservancy, and trail maintenance. Funds were donated to schools, conservancy groups, and trail associations in the communities that host Vasque sponsored Great Lakes Endurance Events. Thanks to the new Vasque Project Great Lakes Endurance will be able to increase charitable giving by $2,000, making a tremendous difference to groups in event communities.

“This is one of the most significant steps ever taken by footwear sponsor. This effort truly gives back to communities and supports the preservation of land and silent sport trails that are at the core of the sport of trail running. This is an effort which Great Lakes Endurance has been involved in for ten years and this is the first time we have experienced this kind of generous support from a sponsor. It speaks to the vision of the company – caring as much for the environment as the loyalty of their valued customers,” noted Great Lakes Endurance Race Director Jeff Crumbaugh.

Vasque PROJECT 2009, which is co-supported by BOA Lacing Systems, includes 45 trail races in 12 states. Major races, race series, and their partnered philanthropic groups include: the Great Eastern Series and the Trail Running Club and SPCA in Charlottesville, VA, the Rock/Creek Trail Series and the Wilderness Trail Running Association (aka Boonies) in Chattanooga, TN, the Great Lakes Endurance Series and the Navarino Nature Center in Northern, MI, the Golden Leaf Half Marathon and the Independence Pass Foundation in Aspen, CO, the Cougar Trail Series and the Kings County Trail Maintenance group in Seattle, WA, the Rogue Trail Series and the Trail Foundation in Austin, TX, the Fast Trax Trail Series and the Strathcona Wilderness Centre in Edmonton, Alberta, the DINO Trail Series and the Parks and Recreation group in Indianapolis, IN, Peter’s Canyon Trail Series and the Conservation Corps of Southern CA in Irvine, CA, the Grand Teton Races and the Teton Valley Trails and Pathways in Alta, WY, the River City Ramble and the YMCA in Red Wing, MN, and the Triple Lakes Races and the Friends of the Parks and Recreation in Greensboro, NC. Visit www.vasque.com/vasqueproject/ for a complete list of events in your area.

About Vasque
For over 40 years, Vasque has crafted high-quality performance-driven footwear for the outdoor market with a line that includes specialized footwear for trail running, crossover, hiking, backpacking, alpine pursuits and kids. With an unyielding commitment to innovation, Vasque focuses on fit and world-class performance as the core pillars in every product they produce. Company product testing takes place through a team of exceptional athletes that report directly form trails all over the world, resulting in product that withstands the test of time and the hardest conditions and wear. To illustrate the “Vasque Fit” story, the company has brought on the Master of Fit™ to narrate, in a series of videos, exactly what it takes to become an award-winning footwear manufacturer.

To view the Master of Fit in action visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ibC2k7_NdQ

For more information on all Vasque products go to www.vasque.com