ADVENTURE CREW

Tonight's the night! Join us for the No Man's Land Film Festival at the newly opened MadTree Brewing Company Parks & Rec in Blue Ash. We'll kick off the evening with social time from 6-7 p.m., with showtime at 7 p.m. Enjoy seven short films celebrating women and gender-nonconforming athletes, creatives, storytellers and adventurers, with outdoor themes that include climbing, skiing and conservation. Tickets are available online at https://lnkd.in/esuXJdzC or at the door. See you tonight!

Coming Wednesday: No Man's Land Film Festival! We're so excited for "No Man's Land," the international touring adventure film festival showcasing women and gender-nonconforming athletes, creatives, storytellers and adventurers! We're bringing this awesome event back to Cincinnati this Wednesday, March 26 at MadTree Brewing Company's new Parks & Rec. location in Blue Ash. Tickets are $20 in advance; $25 day of/at the door. Save $5 by purchasing yours today at https://lnkd.in/esuXJdzC

Sponsor Paddlefest! We're currently accepting sponsors for Ohio River Paddlefest 2025, our largest community event and fundraiser! It's a great way to get your business in front of thousands of outdoor enthusiasts thanks to our excellent sponsor benefits, which include exposure before and during the event. Help make the nation's largest paddling event an even bigger success -- while also supporting city teens! Learn more about Paddlefest sponsorship opportunities at https://lnkd.in/gGV3BZuh

Behind the scenes: Elevating youth voices for wellbeing "We often share stories about what’s happening on the frontlines of our programs, events and campaigns, but there is always vital work happening behind the scenes at the Crew," Executive Director Libby Hunter writes. "This month, I’m particularly excited to share an evolving project with far-reaching goals. Adventure Crew was founded on a simple truth: nature is good for kids. As we grow, we’re committed to deepening our understanding of how well we’re delivering on this. Our commitment to better understanding our teens’ physical and mental wellbeing — and finding ways to integrate youth-driven strategies into every program — has led us to an important, long-term shift: building a community-driven approach that puts their voices at the center of everything we do. We know that those closest to the problems are closest to the solutions. Who better to guide our efforts than the teens themselves? First, this entails laying a strong foundation of training for our staff and building a network of experts who can help us thoughtfully integrate youth-led wellbeing strategies into our work. That’s why we launched the Wellbeing Advisory Team last fall — a group of pediatricians, psychologists, cardiologists and nature-based therapists who bring invaluable insight to our programs." Read the rest of Libby's column in our Journal: https://lnkd.in/geSeij2n

Meet the Crew: Alex and Meredith, new board members. Adventure Crew welcomed two new faces to our board of directors in 2024: Alexandra Roman Gonzalez and Meredith Whitehead. "The outdoors has always been a source of joy, healing and connection for me," Alex said. Growing up in Caracas, Venezuela, a vibrant city surrounded by mountains near the Caribbean Sea, she spent her days climbing trees to pick mangoes, riding bikes, roller skating and exploring her grandparents’ farms. "My friends and I even started nature clubs as kids, catching butterflies, collecting tadpoles and sneaking lizards into our classrooms," she said. As she got older, her big brother, Cesar Alejandro, inspired her to try backpacking and camping. "Those experiences sparked a lifelong passion for outdoor adventures," she said. It's no surprise, then, that Adventure Crew's mission of connecting city teens with nature and each other resonates with Alex. "I’m a firm advocate for the healing power of nature and movement," she said. "Everyone, regardless of their background, deserves access to outdoor activities and the opportunity to build connections through shared experiences. Adventure Crew’s work not only provides these opportunities but also fosters a sense of community and belonging among teens, which is incredibly powerful." Like Alex, Meredith Whitehead grew up spending a lot of time outdoors, particularly camping, fishing and boating. "I know how valuable those experiences can be," she said. "I love that Adventure Crew gives young people the chance to explore the outdoors, build confidence and develop new skills." Longtime board member Mark Wherry introduced Meredith to the Crew. "I joined the board because I wanted to help expand Adventure Crew’s reach and impact," she said. "My background in community development and partnerships allows me to support the organization in meaningful ways." Read more about our two new board members in our Journal! https://lnkd.in/g7thZBwZ

Paddlefest 2025 registration is OPEN! Registration for Adventure Crew's largest community event is now open! Join us for Ohio River Paddlefest, the nation's largest paddling celebration, on Saturday, August 2. Choose your own adventure between our traditional 9-mile paddle or our half-distance (4.5-mile) paddle. Register now for the best price -- you'll save $20 off our on-site registration fee. You can only get this "early bird" price until April 30, so don't miss out! Sign up today at https://lnkd.in/ehTkXyt -- all proceeds support our mission of connecting city teens with nature and each other through outdoor adventures!

Survey says: Discoverer ski/snowboarding was a hit! We knew our Discoverer-level ski and snowboarding program was a hit, but you don't have to take our word for it. We surveyed the teens who participated in this five-part program, held on Wednesday evenings in January and February at Perfect North Slopes. All gave it high marks! "It helped me feel open to accept help from other and see the I don't have to do everything by myself," said Anthony. "Thank you for giving the opportunity to join. I had so much fun, you guys are awesome." "I just gained more skill with the extra time and days of practice," said Wolf. "I just felt excited to get out and do something active. I do not always have the opportunity to go skiing, and it made me feel more confident in my abilities and happy because I made some new friends." "I feel I am a little more open to new adventures," said Jamiyla. "I was able to go home and relax better. I wasn’t stressed from the school week afterwards." Read more about Share Winter Foundation, with whom we partnered on this new program, in our Journal: https://lnkd.in/g5yZ9DZX

Last call for our "Pappy" bourbon raffle! You only have two more days to enter our 2025 bourbon raffle! Don't miss your chance to win a hard-to-find bottle of Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Year (sometimes dubbed "Pappy") and an autographed copy of the book “But Always Fine Bourbon,” by Sally Van Winkle Campbell. It tells the story of Pappy -- both the man and the bourbon. (Thanks to Newberry Bros. Coffee & Prohibition Bourbon Bar for donating the book!) Tickets are $50, which covers about half of a teen's skiing and snowboarding adventure at Perfect North. So even if you don't win, your entry is a win for city teens! Enter at adventurecrew.org/pappy

Coming attraction: Adventure film fest! Adventure Crew is thrilled to bring the premier all-women adventure film festival back to Cincinnati! All are welcome for the No Man's Land Film Festival on Wednesday, March 26 at the newly opened MadTree Brewing Company Parks & Rec location in Blue Ash. This fun, inspiring evening will kick off with social time from 6-7 p.m., with the film festival beginning at 7 p.m. Films in this touring festival celebrate women and gender-nonconforming athletes, creatives, storytellers and adventurers and focus on a wide range of outdoor themes, including climbing, winter sports and conservation. It will be a great way to cap off Women's History Month! Tickets are $20 in advance; $25 at the door. A cash bar and food will be available for purchase on site. Get yours today at https://lnkd.in/esuXJdzC

Don't flake on our bourbon raffle! Time is running out for our rare bourbon raffle! You only have until the end of the month to enter to win a hard-to-find bottle of Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Year (sometimes dubbed "Pappy") and an autographed copy of the book “But Always Fine Bourbon,” by Sally Van Winkle Campbell. It tells the story of Pappy -- both the man and the bourbon. (Thanks to Newberry Bros. Coffee & Prohibition Bourbon Bar for donating the book!) Tickets are $50, which covers about half of a teen's skiing and snowboarding adventure at Perfect North. So even if you don't win, your entry is a win for city teens! Enter today at adventurecrew.org/pappy