The National Wildlife Federation’s 13th annual Great American Campout features 5,000 new reasons to pledge online to camp anytime and anywhere starting now through the end of October. The Great American Campout is a summer-long celebration of camping as a way to connect with nature and wildlife. It’s part of the Great Outdoors Month – a celebration proclaimed by 25 governors across the U.S.
The Great American Campout is free and open to the public of all ages. This initiative encourages camping by anyone, anywhere (park, beach, campground, forest, or backyard), and by any means (RV, tent, under the stars, etc.) throughout the summer and into autumn 2017.
Jeff Probst, executive producer and host of CBS’ Survivor and avid outdoorsman, serves as this year’s celebrity spokesperson.
The National Wildlife Federation’s wildlife ambassador, Ranger Rick, will help young campers join the fun and excitement with family-friendly downloadable camping activities, recipes, and books.
“Camping makes everything better. Camping reduces your blood pressure and calms your nerves. Worried about your kids? Camping helps children focus, expands creativity, and enhances leadership skills – all of which improve academic achievement,” explained Collin O’Mara, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation. “Reconnecting with nature inspires us to care for what we love and rekindles the conservation ethic that lives inside each of us. When you can be present in nature and experience a connection – when you look into a tree and see the eyes of a great horned owl staring back at you – it reminds us of our responsibility to take action and protect the things we value most.”
Keystone RV Company, Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park Camp-Resorts, and RVTrader.com have joined the initiative as new partners for 2017. To encourage families to get outside and camp this summer, everyone who pledges will be entered to win a Bullet Colt RV (valued at $18,000) or a week-long stay at a Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park Camp-Resort (plus a $500 gift card for travel expenses and a $250 Jellystone Park gift card). RV Trader will provide specially-designed content on the Great American Campout website that will include environmentally-friendly RV camping tips.
In an effort to increase native tree populations critical to America’s wildlife and the preservation of our great outdoors, if 150,000 people commit to making the Great American Campout pledge, 5,000 regionally-specific native trees will be donated to the National Wildlife Federation’s Trees for Wildlife program.
The National Wildlife Federation’s website – www.nwf.org/campout – has a directory of public
Great American Campout events, camping tips, lists of fun activities and recipes, sweepstakes rules and prizing information, and much more. Registration is free.