OM STORIES
Introducing the OM Adventure Scholarship!
The year end gives us time to reflect on the year, and take a big breath to settle the mind and return to a positive state of being; whether we experienced something tragic, enlightening, or downright dull.
Happy New Year!
The year end gives us time to reflect on the year, and take a big breath to settle the mind and return to a positive state of being; whether we experienced something tragic, enlightening, or downright dull.
With the New Year, comes the view of the horizon. It’s time to look forward to a better future and plan to take action.
At OM we look at the New Year as an opportunity to reengage, reignite, and re-imagine the future.
To start, I and the Executive and Advisory Boards will be having a retreat on MLK weekend. We will be reflecting on our accomplishments, examining our current state, and planning for a big future! These are exciting times at OM! And in the spirit of reigniting the spirit, I am excited to introduce a brand new program:
Introducing the Outdoor Mindset Adventure Scholarship
!
The power of the outdoors to lift our spirits, to clear our thoughts and center our state of being, in history, was a gift that only gods could give. For many of us, the time we spend outside and in nature defines our character and how we view the world. We may dream of climbing that special peak, travelling to that amazing place and living that once in a lifetime experience. These experiences bring strangers together and friends closer, with memories and feelings that will be shared for the rest of their lives. It is at these precise moments when you take a deep breath and say, “this is what life is all about”!
Outdoor Mindset thrives on those moments and understands that the impact these extraordinary experiences have on our health and wellbeing is priceless! OM never intends to compete with the gods, but perhaps we can help provide the funding for you and a friend to get closer to experiencing a special peak, an amazing place and a once in a lifetime experience – an item on your bucket list that you have always wanted to complete.
Our goal with the
is to help support OM’s mission to enhance the quality of life of our members, engage our members and encourage our community to connect with one another and get outside and live big!
El Chalten, Patagonia. Put it on your Adventure Scholarship
bucket list!
OM will be awarding at least one Adventure Scholarship per quarter. We will be awarding
at least $500
per Adventure Scholarship! Applications will be accepted starting today, and applicants will be given u
ntil February 12th
, to submit. Applicants must be an OM member, and the Adventure Scholarship must be used for an outdoor activity with at least one other OM member. Keep in mind, anyone can become an OM member and it’s FREE! And most importantly, the Adventure Scholarship awardee must have a great time!!!
Please click here to view the official rules and apply. Good luck!
Don’t forget to Participate, Engage and Promote!
I can’t wait to see you outside and look forward to sharing more exciting news in the coming months!
~Sean
Strength To The Body And Soul
“Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in where nature may heal and cheer and give strength to the body and soul.” - John Muir
A common passion for the outdoors is a thriving element in the mind of the Outdoor Mindset folks. I know I can speak for all of us when I say that John Muir could not have been more spot on.
"You have to go on and be crazy" -Jimi Hendrix
The Beginning
In the months following his initial MRI, Kyle envisioned an organization that could help people facing neurological challenges connect with others in the outdoors while helping one another through their new post-diagnosis lives. He pulled together a diverse group of people from around Colorado to make his vision a reality.
Since January, we have been meeting regulary to define our vision, mission, values, and by-laws that govern our organization. We have also formed volunteer committees to focus in areas of finance, organizational development, and marketing.
On this journey, we reached a major waypoint last night. We held our first official board meeting at Cantina Laredo in Boulder to vote on our organization's name, affirm board members, and elect an executive committee. Being a part of any company's start up always has defining moments that are funny, exciting, and moving. Last night was all of those things. Funny because we are office-less and meeting in a Mexican restaurant, opening the meeting with each board member's favorite joke, and "knighting" our new officers with steak knives. It was exciting because we finally agreed on our name - Outdoor Mindset, approved our by-laws, affirmed our board of 12 members, and voted on the plan for phase 1 of our website. But most of all, last night was moving because we got to see Kyle's vision and all of our hard work shape up into something very real.
We know that our work has only just begun and are excited to share our journey with you. And so, without further ado...
OUR DREAM SUMMIT/BIG FISH/POWDER DAY:
An active community of individuals affected by neurological challenges leading adventurous lives with no limits.
OUR PATH/ROUTE/TRACK:
We unite and inspire people affected by neurological challenges to live big through a common passion for outdoor adventure.
OUR GEAR:
- Cultivating an online community that connects people based on their diagnosis and outdoor interests.
- Promoting a support network that encourages sharing experiences, resources, and information.
- Supporting regional events and adventure programs to strengthen connections and encourage healing of the body, mind and spirit.
- Quality of life - we believe in living our best lives, connecting with the outdoors and finding opportunity in adversity
- Proactiveness - we believe in taking initiative, staying informed and creating change
- Community - we believe in an open-minded environment where we learn from and support each other
- Inspiration - we live and work in a way that promotes optimism, creativity and fun
- Accountability - we believe in taking ownership of our lives
- Integrity - we believe in honesty, ethics and transparency
- Passion - we exude energy and enthusiasm, and play hard
- Humor - we believe laughter is the best medicine