Eleanor Burkett, University of Minnesota Extension Service, Brainerd Regional Center, (218) 828-2326

On Friday, October 22, the Initiative Foundation recognized six “community superheroes” at its Awards for Outstanding Community Initiative event at Madden’s Resort in Brainerd. Nominated by their peers and chosen by volunteer selection committees, each award winner receives $1,000 for the charity of their choice, a commemorative video tribute, and a commissioned sculpture created by Minnesota master glassworks artist, Michael Tonder.

The 2004 Outstanding Environmental Initiative Award went to the Brainerd-based Youth Outdoor Corps, a program that teaches high school students to take water quality samples, report accurate results, and manage a small business. Developed by the University of Minnesota Extension Service, Crow Wing County and Independent School District 181, the Outdoor Corps provides water quality information to area lake associations and county water planning advisory boards at an affordable cost. What started as a small program now includes 60 lakes, covering eight counties throughout central Minnesota and employing more than 40 youth and adult mentors.

“The program is successful on many levels,” said Kent Montgomery, regional extension educator for the Extension Service and manager of the Outdoor Corps program. “The students get an opportunity to advance their science skills and explore career possibilities in natural resources. Their clients get affordable, reliable information on the quality of their lakes.”

For more information on the Outdoor Corps, contact Kent Montgomery at (218) 828-2326.

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