​Have you met Wilder yet? Half yeti and half mountain goat, Wilder is your kids' new amazing outdoor friend! As GOCO's Generation Wild mascot, he is on a mission to help your kids rediscover all the benefits waiting for them just outside your door, where things are a little wilder, a little happier, and a whole lot healthier.

Friends of Youth and Nature (FOYAN) will be hosting Wilder at a summer fun kickoff celebration in Montrose on May 30th. Bring on the Summer Outdoor Fest is an afternoon of outdoor games, sports, nature exploration, art, and music! Activities begin at 11:00 am at Riverbottom Park in Montrose, and continue until 4:00 pm. This is your chance to encourage your kids to try a new outdoor activity or a nature challenge. Starting at noon, there will be ducky races, soccer and basketball skills sessions, strider bike instruction, multiple short river paddles, a life jacket scramble, gelly ball games (similar to paint ball), art projects, relay races, disc golf, and pie and water melon eating contests. The Montrose Regional Library book bike will be there with an assortment of youth books for summer reading. Once again, Finesse will be offering free youth haircuts for the summer! All these activities are free, so bring the family to Riverbottom Park for the afternoon. 

An outdoor festival isn’t complete without music, food and drinks. MC Angel D "El Maza" and DJ MLOD Pro will keep up the energy. Delicious kid-friendly food and a selection of drinks for the thirsty folks will be available. “This is an opportunity to bring our community together and be outside enjoying games, food, and music. There is something for everyone and every age group," said Anita Evans, Chair of Friends of Youth and Nature. 

The festival is the primary fundraiser for FOYAN. All proceeds will help FOYAN cover the cost of getting more kids outside to support mental health, resilience, healthy lifestyles and outdoor education in coordination with staff from Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Montrose Recreation District, and many other partners. 

"It isn’t always easy to get kids to turn off the computer or put down the game controller, so this festival is a way to show your kids what's outside for them. We are lucky to have a variety of local options for kids to do in the summer as well as so much public land surrounding our communities to explore and enjoy,” added Evans. One of FOYAN's goals is to remove barriers for local youth to participate in outdoor experiences. FOYAN helps cover the cost of school district field trips including bus transportation, provides scholarships for kids (particularly underserved youth) to attend camps, helps offset school costs associated with nature learning events, and continues to expand outdoor gear items for the free gear library available for youth partners in Delta, Montrose and Ouray Counties. 

​"This will be the third annual Bring on the Summer Festival. In the past 2 years the event has drawn between 1,500–3,000 youth and families so we are hoping for another great turnout!" added Anne Janik, FOYAN event organizer. We are very fortunate to have generous sponsors who support FOYAN’s mission including Colorado Health Foundation, Western Colorado Community Foundation, Colorado Outdoors, Colorado Trust, City of Montrose, and many more.
Are you still wondering why your kids should play outside? Their curiosity grows stronger. Their self-reliance grows stronger. And so does your kid! Please consider supporting our mission of getting more kids outside.
​
Bring on the Summer Flyer 2026
​Schedule of Events 2026

​​Identifying birds can be challenging for even the most patient adults. Getting kids interested in birding is even more challenging. Luckily, most kids are natural explorers and generally eager to be outside, so that’s a great place to start. 

A simple way to start birdwatching is to point out a bird you see or hear with your naked eye. Next, invite children to take a closer look. Then, ask your children simple questions about it such as, “What do you think that bird is doing down there in the grass?” This will help them begin to observe, question, and discover birds in the air, on land, and in water, beginning with the most common birds around. It's often easiest to start watching birds from your yard, patio, or even through a window. Next, observe birds that live nearby—in nature centers, parks, nature reserves, and other outdoor spaces. This can be especially fun during migration periods in the spring or fall.

For most active kids, staying still and quiet for even a few minutes can be a challenge. It helps to point out an attention grabbing bird—something big, colorful or one with an unusual call. Many water birds are often colorful and obvious. While walking along a lake, you are sure to see larger birds floating, feeding, or preening (cleaning their feathers). Encourage observations by asking your child about the bird they see, the color of an eyepatch, the size or shape of the beak. Many geese, ducks and other water birds (mergansers, egrets, herons) have distinctive feather patterns especially in the spring when they have arrived with fresh colorful feathers to attract a mate during breeding season. Take a few moments to watch the bird. Look for the long wispy plumes on the necks of herons and egrets. Mallards have iridescent green feathers on their heads and are often commonly referred to as greenheads. Ducks with rusty head feathers are called Redheads. What are they doing? Are the ducks diving for food (a full on dive below the surface) or are they dabbling (only dipping their heads to sieve the surface water for bugs)? The feeding strategies of ducks split them into two different categories: divers and dabblers.  

Another large common bird near water are great blue herons. Ask your children to describe the color of the body feathers, or any other unique feature of this bird (long beaks, long legs). All these features give clues as to what the bird eats. In the case of herons, they spear fish, frogs and mice with their long sharp beak. 

It's good to get kids to describe the size of a bird by referring to a relatable item, such as one of their small toys or stuffies. The bird may be the size of one small stuffy—a finch, two times the stuffy—a robin, five times—a duck, and so on. Then ask them to describe something else about the bird, maybe the way it is flying: flapping (like geese), gliding (like a seagull), soaring with the wind (like an eagle or hawk), hovering (like a marsh hawk over a field) or a constant flutter of wings (like a hummingbird). Soon you will be able to distinguish different flight patterns.  
Sit quietly for a few moments while enjoying a snack and listen for different bird sounds. Most birds squawk, chirp, and warble, but some of them are more “talkative”—their songs sound almost like a speech. Turning a birdcall into a memorable phrase or pattern (mnemonic) is a great way to learn the song. Many birds already have assigned phrases for their calls. 

• Barred Owls say Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you all? It’s often heard near big woods in the late evening and nighttime
• American Robins have a very common whistled series of cheer-ee-up, cheer-ee-o.
• American Goldfinches call out Po-ta-to chips! Look for a small bright yellow finch with a black cap and wings flying nearby. 
• White-throated sparrows have a sweet whistle, singing Oh sweet Canada, Canada.
• A Spotted Towhee says Drink-your-tea
• The Western Wood-Pewee sings its name in a falling pee-wee.

(You can listen to these and many other bird calls at the Cornell Laboratory: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/30-mnemonics-help-remember-bird-calls/)

o make it even more fun for your child, have them make up their own phrases or mnemonics to help them remember the bird! The calls of cranes as they fly over is a very common sound during spring migration described as a rattle but you may come up with a better description. How about the calls of Canada geese? Let your child's imagination take them down that descriptive route. 

You don’t have to identify every bird by the actual name in the bird books. Get crazy and make up your own names for a bird maybe depending on what they are doing.

Inviting children to look for birds begins with finding creative ways to notice these feathered creatures. Getting inventive with your observations is a perfect way to get young ones interested. Observations and collecting data on birds or any species for that matter is what you decide to pay attention to. With this "anything goes perspective" observations are endless. Let your kids decide what they would like to observe about the birds they see such as: how often they preen, favorite branches they frequent, how often an American robin digs its beak into the garden, how often hummingbirds buzz each other at the feeder, how many different feather colors you see in 10 minutes. 

Try a Birding Scavenger Hunt: To see as many birds as possible. For some kids, counting from zero to some arbitrary number—five different kinds of birds, for example, or 20 birds in one outing—will be enough to stay focused and have fun. To fire up kids’ powers of observation, make a list of target birds before heading to the yard or park. Use general categories like ducks and hawks.

If you aren’t seeing any birds, how about looking for signs of their presence such as owl pellets, bird nests, whitewash (poop) on rocks or cliffs—a good indication of raven or eagle perches. 
Binoculars can be very hard for children to learn how to use. The best approach is to focus on staying still and looking for the movements of birds and describing what they see. Sometimes using a phone camera can work as you can zoom into the picture to help see details about the bird. Gradually, with practice they can learn to use and focus binoculars aimed at still objects then slow moving ones. Using binoculars to track an animal takes practice so be encouraging.  
Here are a few opportunities on the western slope to get kids up close and curious about birds:

• Black Canyon Audubon Society offers many field trips with experienced leaders, and even family birding days— check out their website (blackcanyonaudubon.org) for dates. 
• May 9 is World Migratory Bird Day and May 30 is Bring On The Summer fest. This is an opportunity to get your children curious and engaged about birds. Black Canyon Audubon Society educators often help teach children how to use binoculars and participate in some bird friendly activities. (May 30 Riverbottom Park 11:00am-4:00pm) 
• May 23, Western Screech Owl banding (8:30 am) This is a family event and an opportunity to view Western Screech Owls and watch citizen science in action. Treat your children and grandchildren to a close up view of the Grand Valley’s most common owl. The meeting location will be announced May 18 when the nests are located. Check out the Grand Valley Audubon Society website (audubongv.org) or email Nic Korte at [email protected].
• Bird banding at Ridgway State Park occurs the first 2 weeks in September every year. Black Canyon Audubon Society hosts the Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory for bird banding. While birds are migrating through the park, many are caught in small mesh (mist) nets. Biologists measure each bird and band them with numbered federal bands that can be tracked with recaptures. This gives the public up close looks at many different species and kids can ask the ornithologist specific questions. Check blackcanyonaudubon.org for details during early September.

​Observing animals, describing, and discussing what they are doing is the first step in getting young children aware of creatures around them. There is such awe when they see furry or feathered critters. Encourage that awe and inspire your child to look around, discover, be curious, ask questions and explore more!
Other resources to get kids interested in birding: 

• https://www.audubon.org/magazine/easy-ways-get-kids-birding
• https://www.audubon.org/get-outside/activities/audubon-for-kids
• https://creativestarlearning.co.uk/nature-play-learning/20-outdoor-bird-games-and-activities/
• https://rhythmsofplay.com/birding-for-kids-bird-watching-activities-and-lessons/ https://www.birds.cornell.edu/k12/

​
​Do you remember when you left home to find your way in life? I remember being excited and nervous, but ultimately ready. Little did I know, I had so many things to learn, yet I was able to rise to most occasions. I think one of the biggest challenges parents face is the reality that their children will eventually be out in the world...without them. I didn’t really think about what my parents felt when I ventured out, but looking back, I imagine they were excited for me. I’m lucky because I grew up in an environment that helped me build resilience, and because of that resilience, I know my parents were not concerned with how I would face the world. They knew I wouldn’t shut down when a problem presented itself, but that is not the story for everyone. This article provides information for building resilience.

In the education sector, there exists a popular model referenced by educators as a tool to expand a student's academic learning. This model is known as the Learning Zone Model, constructed by Tom Senninger, and it’s largely based on Lev Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development. This model divides the experience of learning into three different zones:

1. The Comfort Zone - This is where we are confident in our ability and knowledge.
2. The Learning or Growth Zone - Here we are appropriately challenged and gain new skills and abilities from the experience.
3. The Alarm or Panic Zone - This zone exceeds what we are familiar with and is outside our ability to understand.

I was first introduced to this model when I worked at the Colorado Mesa University (CMU) Outdoor Program where I would take fellow students on outdoor trips. I’ve now taught Orienteering and Backpacking at CMU as an adjunct faculty for the past two years. The Learning Zone Model is popular in outdoor experiential learning—here’s how you can apply it to your life.
 
On outdoor trips, I would often have several participants who had never done mountaineering, canyoneering, rafting, etc. let alone set up a tent. For many this was their first time experiencing outdoor recreation, and without knowing anyone else on the trip, their support system consisted of fellow “green” participants. They had to rely on and trust in the leaders of the trips, who were fellow college students. There was a fine line then to walk as a trip leader between the Learning Zone and the Alarm Zone.

When we do something challenging or outside of our comfort zone, several coordinated brain systems activate. Our brain detects uncertainty or a threat and evaluates, “Is this safe?”. The part of our brain known as the amygdala, in charge of triggering the fight or flight response, detects threats and signals the hypothalamus and HPA axis (hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal system). The HPA axis regulates cortisol and adrenalin, it will then release that cortisol and adrenalin to help the body prepare for action. Meanwhile, the prefrontal cortex takes on the planning and preparation for managing the situation causing stress.
 
Here’s where it gets fun!
 I've the pleasure of facilitating the resilience of one's brain in these stressful situations. Take, for example, an ice climbing trip—the participant may not be confident in how to wear or use the gear, and they are nervous and unsure what to do. This is new territory, something unfamiliar, and it’s cold to boot. They are properly tied into a rope and the gear is adjusted and explained and then they are directed to the ice wall. With some words of encouragement and direction (not to mention the rope pulling them upwards), the student attempts to wedge the ice pick in the wall and fails. But just barely. The prefrontal cortex analyzes and adjusts and the student tries again and succeeds. They then climb up the wall, building a new skill as they manipulate their body to climb. Suddenly this environment which was cold, uncomfortable, and unknown has been changed to a new perspective as dopamine is released in the brain. They think, “Being cold and unsure doesn’t necessarily mean I won't have fun.” After climbing they return home to a warm, safe, and known environment where reflection takes place. Synapses strengthen, myelination increases (signals travel faster), and the prefrontal cortex becomes more efficient at regulating emotion. We have just successfully expanded the tolerance for uncertainty, literally growing what is inside our comfort zone with what we call “tolerable stress”.

This is especially crucial for children as they develop. Children need tolerable stress in order to build stronger stress regulation systems and increase executive function. There is an important distinction to be made though. While tolerable stress is important, there is also “toxic stress” which can cause long-term health and learning problems as well as psychological harm. When children are overprotected the stress system remains undertrained—children never experience anything outside of the comfort zone, and when they do, the prefrontal cortex is overwhelmed and shuts down. They are unable to cope with new and challenging situations; it is outside of their ability to understand and process. The Learning Zone almost does not exist, and the Alarm Zone is too easy to enter for them. Along the same vein, when a child is overwhelmed without support or brought back into the Comfort Zone for processing, the stress system becomes dysregulated, leading to the problems previously mentioned.

So how do you navigate the zones? There’s a fun phrase used with this model and in the outdoor recreation sector: “challenge by choice”. I’ve had many participants who could not continue an activity even after encouragement, and even though the social pressure helped to push people through their uncertainty on trips, those people who entered the Alarm Zone always verbalized their fear and inability to continue. At that point, it was important to stop and bring them back into a safe space or as close as you could to their Comfort Zone. The biggest thing to note: this is OKAY. This model is popular mainly because it provides a framework through which we can navigate stress responses, and sometimes that navigation calls for you to walk away and/or start smaller to build your way up.

You shouldn’t always strive to make things easy. You will never grow. Life also has a funny way of continuing despite your comfort—it likes to throw situations at you. Being able to navigate yourself and regulate your own stress systems when it does is one of the greater gifts you can give yourself, and, if you are a parent, one of the best ways you can prepare your child for the world they will have the pleasure of exploring. This kind of resilience sets kids up for success as they navigate new and challenging experiences throughout their lives, which is why it’s crucial for them to experience manageable challenges, many of which can be found most effectively in outdoor pursuits.

If you are looking for challenges for yourself or your children, many opportunities already exist in local recreation departments and outdoor provider offerings. These courses are led by experienced guides and allow for exciting fun new experiences. Some possible links to nearby adventure opportunities are listed here - others can be found on line: https://www.montroserec.com/
https://thenatureconnection.net/
https://www.gjparksandrec.org/1462/Parks-Recreation
https://www.coloradocanyonsassociation.org/
https://www.coloradomesa.edu/outdoor-program/index.html
https://www.cityofdelta.net/parksrecgolf/page/recreation-center
 

More kids outside! That’s the prescription for physically and mentally healthy youth in our communities. Time outside—even as little as 20 minutes—can help re-set attitudes, priorities and general well-being. Outdoor experiences also help young people develop confidence, resilience, leadership, teamwork and environmental stewardship—skills that last a lifetime. 
Communities on the Western Slope get it! Because of our location so close to acres of public lands, our community members’ lives incorporate the inspiration of our breathtaking landscapes, the challenges of outdoor endeavors, and an appreciation of our nearby natural resources. Friends of Youth and Nature (FOYAN) works to provide opportunities for our youth and pass on this rewarding gift of the outdoors through the incredible generosity and support of our grantors, local businesses, service clubs, partner organizations, and individuals who donate to support this mission of getting Western Slope kids outside. 
FOYAN received over $23,000 during the end of the year campaign from private donors directly to FOYAN or through Colorado Gives Day (providing additional incentive awards through that fund).  FOYAN was able to leverage these contributions plus sponsorships from our community fundraisers, businesses and service groups to receive many grant awards in 2025.
Community Foundations: the Western Colorado Community Foundation (WCCF) has been a vital source of support for FOYAN. Through WCCF’s umbrella organizations, FOYAN received critical funding from several community partners. The West Elk Community Fund contributed $5,000 to support outdoor camp scholarships for youth in the North Fork Valley. The WCCF Delta Community Fund awarded $480 for rafting scholarships for students from Delta High School. The Ouray County Fund provided $1,500 to help Ouray youth connect with nature, and the Montrose Community Fund contributed $2,000 toward the purchase of essential gear for Together for Resilient Youth (TRY) outings.

Watershed Education Funding: FOYAN provides opportunities for students to learn about our water resources and watersheds through sponsorships by WCCF (Kim and Joe Gionnone Fund-$6,000, Dave and Mary Wood Fund-$2,500), and Forever Our Rivers ($6,000). The Gunnison Basin Roundtable contributed $1,500 for youth to learn specifically about the Gunnison and Colorado River watersheds.  
 
Youth Hunting and Angling: Colorado Parks and Wildlife Partners in the Outdoors has awarded FOYAN a grant focused on hunting and angling classes for the TRY coalition ($5,185). 

Community Service Clubs support opportunities for more local youth to connect with nature and the outdoors:  The following local youth service clubs, organizations and counties stepped up support for FOYAN in 2025:  The Junior Service League of Grand Junction ($4,700), Grand Junction Horizon Sunrise Rotary ($2,000), Grand Junction Kiwanis ($2,000), and the Delta County Commissioners ($2,500).

Business support for FOYAN: Several businesses and groups hosted fundraisers for FOYAN in 2025.  Roots Gastrohub and Pablo's Pizza in Grand Junction provided community nights where proceeds support FOYAN youth activities in Mesa County. The Kid's Pasta Project in Hotchkiss, provided a community dinner where local youth serve the community through the preparation/serving of freshly made dinners. Proceeds were donated to FOYAN for the North Fork Valley youth. FOYAN collaborated with various partners to host the "Bring on the Summer" kid fest fundraiser in Montrose generating over $12,000 in its second year for youth outings in this county.

Transporting Youth: Transportation has been a barrier for bringing Western Slope youth to outdoor events. The following funding contributions have allowed FOYAN to acquire a shared van for the TRY coalition events: The WCCF general fund ($10,000), the Boettcher Foundation Catalyst Grant ($7,500), the Enterprise Mobility Grant ($970.30), and a private donor ($10,000).

Improvements to FOYAN's Staff support and non-profit structure: FOYAN's outreach in the four countries has grown substantially since 2018. To be more effective as a nonprofit, we are striving to expand into a professionalized, staffed model to improve and expand organizational reach. The Mighty Arrow Foundation ($10,000), the San Juan Council from El Pomar ($20,000), the Colorado Health Foundation ($30,000), Intermountain Health ($5,000), and the Anschutz Family Foundation ($8,500) all contributed to general operations for staff support.

All this support has enabled our success! As a result of the drastic growth in community support for FOYAN’s mission, in 2025, FOYAN was able to facilitate outdoor and nature learning experiences for over 12,000 youth and families in Mesa, Delta, Montrose, and Ouray Counties, up from 8,800 in 2024. Over $44,000 was distributed to schools for field trip transportation assistance to Eureka Science center, river festivals, natural resource days, outdoor learning labs (OWL), and snow science/cross-country skiing opportunities on the Grand Mesa National Forest. FOYAN also provided scholarships for youth to attend summer camps locally at the Nature Connection in Hotchkiss and Delta, as well as a weeklong overnight camp at Santa Maria YMCA near Grant, Colorado for 13 Delta County teens.

Time outdoors for kids is vital—it promotes physical health, mental well-being, self-esteem, friendships and a sense of belonging, all essential ingredients for strong, thriving kids and communities. It also encourages open discussions about our planet and all it has to offer us if we care for it. FOYAN works to instill a sense of ownership, appreciation, and respect for public lands and resources in these young people so that one day they will be good stewards of our open spaces, habitats for wildlife, clean air and water, and places to seek physical challenges, exciting fun, or solitude. Thank you to our communities for recognizing this great gift we all enjoy on the Western Slope of Colorado and for supporting efforts to pass it on to our next generation. 

Growing up in the small town of Olathe Colorado where the population of cows overpower the population of people, it was sometimes hard to find time for outdoor recreation. Luckily, for us we are a short drive to some beautiful hiking trails, rivers, and lakes.  The towering Rocky Mountains of Colorado have some amazing hiking trails from easy to extreme. Many popular places to recreate locally are in the San Juans, a nearby rugged mountain range. Mt Sneffels, our closest 14er, is a popular destination for people who enjoy a tough yet beautiful climb.  A very popular local hike is to Blue Lakes, named for their turquoise coloring, nestled beneath the 14,150 ft. Mount Sneffels. A great place to chill and hang out is Ridgway State Park – where hiking, fishing, camping, and waterboarding can offer a family friendly place to recreate and create lasting memories.
 
Rafting has become quite popular with families and youth in our area offering a variety of river experiences from relaxing floats to challenging fast flowing rapids. Many sections of our local rivers can be relatively tame and offer a very exciting place to get away from it all for a few hours, an entire day or even a multi-day adventure.  This summer, some of our local youth were able to do just that! Friends of Youth and Nature offered a raft trip on the Gunnison River in the Gunnison National Conservation Area for local youth that have not had that experience before. Here are some of their responses to this impressionable experience:
 
Antonio was super excited being outdoors and being in the river. It was the first time he had ever been rafting. He said, “It gave me such a feeling of freedom and peace. Life is sometimes difficult at school and home, and the river was so calming!”
 
Also experienced his very first river trip, Gael described his experience.  “I had such a blast with my new friends that I made over the summer. We got to experience something that none of us have ever experienced before! The sound of the river made me feel so calm. The most fun part was the water fight!”
 
Sabastian said the whole trip was super exciting. ”It was an experience I will never forget and I want to get out and do it again next year. They gave us lunch at the end of the trip and the cookies were amazing!”
 
“We should have worn different clothes! I wore sweatpants and they were way too hot. It’s a good thing we had a water fight to cool us off," Monica shared.
 
“From the beginning to the end of this raft trip, these kids were so respectful. They felt welcomed and comfortable with the group. I so enjoyed how all the kids bonded together. Watching them experience something for the first time was so fulfilling. I never got the chance to do anything like this when I was young, so it made this experience especially rewarding,” said FOYAN board member David Padilla, “Without Friends of Youth and Nature and Partners Mentoring these kids would never have these opportunities. Most of these kids came from the Engagement Program in the middle and high school programs in Montrose County. Experiences like this help them develop their social skills, teamwork, and ways to be resilient so they can be successful when facing life’s challenges.”
 
FOYAN chair Anita Evans shared, “I have never received so many hugs at the end of one of our outdoor events. These kids were so genuinely thankful. It filled my heart and made it even more worthwhile.”
 
Outdoor experiences like this particularly for youth during the challenging years of middle and high school can be thrilling and fun. But, these experiences also help develop new friendships, teamwork and self-confidence. Outdoor activities can play a crucial role in building resiliency and promoting mental well-being in our youth. If you would like to help us get more kids outside to experience new outdoor adventures like this, please consider a donation to FOYAN
  
Partners of Delta, Montrose and Ouray is a nonprofit organization dedicated to building one-to-one mentoring partnerships between young people and responsible, caring adults. Youth with a mentor in the Partners programs benefit from increased self-esteem, academic improvements, pro-socio bonding. Having a mentor opens a world of opportunities for a youth, shaping a successful future one experience at a time.  Partners serves youth ages 6 -17 that could benefit from a positive adult role model. Interested? Learn more at www.partners-west.org

​Connecting kids to nature is more than just a walk in the woods! It can be a life changing experience that builds confidence resilience, and a lifelong love of the outdoors — all while inspiring stewardship of Colorado’s natural landscapes. Creating these experiences is the aim of Friends of Youth and Nature (FOYAN) and over the past few years, this nonprofit has become pretty good at it – changing young lives across Western Colorado by providing mentored outdoor skill-building experiences, field trips, and nature-based learning.

​If  you love Colorado's landscapes and outdoor endeavors, share your passion for it by helping FOYAN connect kids to our States' amazing places and inspiring experiences. This Colorado Gives Day, you can be part of something truly powerful — connecting a kid to the great outdoors!

Every donation fuels opportunities for exploration and growth — from fishing and hiking to water festivals and outdoor classrooms. FOYAN’s mission is to remove barriers that prevent youth from connecting with nature. By partnering with schools, community organizations, and recreation districts, the group ensures all children — especially those facing economic or social challenges — can benefit from the healing and empowering experiences of time outdoors.  In 2024 alone, FOYAN reached more than 8,800 youth and families in Montrose, Ouray, Delta, and Mesa counties with outdoor experiences.  

Through its signature Together for Resilient Youth (TRY) program, FOYAN focuses on underserved and at-risk youth. Working with local partners such as Families Plus, Haven House for the Homeless, Partners Mentoring, the Black Canyon Boys & Girls Club, CASA7JD, Hilltop, Mexican American Development Association, and Voyager Youth Services, FOYAN connects youth with mentors, outdoor educators, and hands-on nature programs. These collaborations give kids more than just an activity — they give them hope, belonging, and new perspectives on what’s possible. Time outside isn’t just fun — it’s transformative.

Research shows that even 20 minutes outdoors can lower stress, reduce anxiety, boost mood, and improve academic performance. For youth living in communities where suicide and mental health challenges are on the rise, that connection to nature can truly save lives. The outdoors offers a sense of calm and purpose that every child deserves to experience.

Your donations directly support:
• Outdoor skill programs like hiking, archery, mountain biking and fishing.
• Farm to School programs in four counties, teaching garden and food security skills.
• Watershed Education, including local water festivals, river trips and hands-on science learning.
• Gear for Kids — backpacks, ponchos, and water bottles for youth in need, plus a free community gear lending library supporting the TRY program.

Each dollar you give brings these experiences to more children who might otherwise never have the chance to step outside and explore. FOYAN’s programs are designed to foster lifelong connections to nature that promote stewardship and healthy living.

Colorado Gives Day begins November 1 and continues through December 9. Through the Colorado Gives Foundation and First Bank, every donation made through ColoradoGives.org will be boosted by a $1 million Incentive Fund.  The more FOYAN raises, the larger its share of the Incentive Fund.  Recurring (monthly) support helps sustain programs year-round, providing steady opportunities for kids to learn, play, and grow outdoors. Last year, Coloradans came together to raise more than $54 million statewide for nonprofits.

Together, we can ensure that every child has access to the powerful lessons and peace that nature provides. As one participant in a FOYAN mountain biking program exclaimed, “Finally, somebody gets me!” That moment of connection captures exactly what FOYAN strives to achieve — giving kids a sense of belonging in the outdoors and the confidence to take on life’s challenges with strength and curiosity. Your support makes those moments possible. Whether it’s helping a child plant their first seed, reel in their first fish, or hike their first trail, your generosity builds a foundation for healthier, happier, and more connected communities. Join us in building a generation of resilient, confident, and nature-connected youth.

Give where you live — and help us get more kids outside. 
Colorado Gives - Friends of Youth and Nature

 
Growing up in a rural community in Colorado, I learned to recognize the signs of Fall approaching by the changing temperatures, changes in daylight and changes in the activities I, and the folks around me did.  An obvious change in activity is going back to school. Each of us has our own traditions in our communities and families with the changing seasons and it recently dawned on me that in my community, we had some special activities that I will call the 3 H’s.
​
H #1 is Harvesting.  The late harvest of corn, alfalfa, and other crops have narrow windows from the field to market to stay viable.  In my school, many older kids in farming families would be pulled out of school to help with the harvest.  And, many of those farmers and families would be out until the middle of the night, on harvesting equipment, to maximize crop potentials.  I remember going inside near bedtime and seeing the lights out in the fields when I was going to sleep.

H #2 is Hunting.  Soon after harvest season, came hunting season.  Many of the families in our area participated in one or more of the big game seasons.  Elk, deer, moose, pronghorn, and other big game species provided a freezer of food and memorable outdoor experiences with families and friends.  Like harvest season, many kids would be out of school for one of the big game seasons.  They would come back to school and share their experiences like we all do when we go outdoors with our families and mentors.  What I realize now is that those experiences were also when we learned many of the things we still use today; how to plan and set up a camp, how to be prepared in the outdoors, and what is in an ecosystem that helps the wildlife thrive. Finally, their excitement about their experiences seemed to really inspire them to love the outdoors, and to protect the environment that they had those experiences in.   

H #3 is Halloween.  Growing up on farms where trick or treating was not as easy, we found a way to go with our friends.  Often our parents would drive us to the ‘big’ town nearby and depending on our age, either walk with us or drop us off on one side of a neighborhood and pick us up on the other side.  In elementary and sometimes in secondary schools we would get to wear our costumes to immerse in the fun of the season. 

The Fall memories and lessons that I took away from my youth are probably why Fall is my favorite season.  There are other signs of Fall that I love, that might be more universal.  Of course, the leaf changes, football season starting, PSL’s (if you know, you know) are some I have added to my favorites list.  And we are fortunate in western Colorado to have nearby corn mazes and pumpkin patches to visit. 

Fall is a perfect time to start some new family traditions that your kids will remember.  Visit an orchard to pick apples, bake some pies or find a press to make apple juice! If your family isnt a hunting family, you can still grab binoculars or a scope to spot some wildlife; or, quietly listen for elk bugling or the calls of geese overhead heading south.

As a member of Friends of Youth and Nature (FOYAN), it is our goal and passion to get kids and families outdoors. What I realize now is that virtually all of what I love about Fall happens outside.  Harvesting, hunting, Halloween, football, leaf peeping, corn mazes and pumpkin patches all happen outside.  Many of these experiences share some of the best of life; being with friends and family and being outdoors.