Summer 2020 Developments
Michigan’s state stone, the Petoskey Stone.
As winter begins to wind down and summer (Petoskey stone-hunting season) approaches, it's time for an update on developments at Origin.
Grants, Fundraising, and Promotional Events
Our team has been working hard on fundraising all winter. With over a dozen pending grant applications, we hope to expand the capacity of our trips to host more clients, purchase a company van, and offer several scholarships during the summer of 2020. A lot of work goes into grant writing, and what we communicate on our applications sheds a lot of light on our organization as a whole.
We are also working to integrate a fundraising platform that allows clients to raise money for their trips. Once individuals have registered for a trip, we can assist them in setting up a page that they can then share with their network to raise money. This feature should be available sometime in early March.
Finally, we are also working with some local businesses around Michigan to host a fundraising and promotional event at the end of the summer. We plan to show a full-feature film about the ice climbing culture in the Upper Peninsula somewhere in Grand Rapids. This event will give us a chance to share our organization with the public, promote our sponsors, and build our community.
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, one of our Summer 2020 trip venues, is also a world-renowned ice-climbing destination.
Certifications
We are adjusting our curriculum to reflect the learning outcomes of the Outdoor Living Skills course at Northern Michigan University. This summer, we will offer certifications to clients who meet standards at the end of their Origin course. For all courses this year, the evaluation component will be completely optional. We're discussing with the Outdoor Recreation Leadership and Management department if clients who receive certification through Origin and subsequently enroll at Northern Michigan University can receive college credit.
As summer draws near, it becomes all the more critical that we continue to build support. If you have yet to do so, consider using the social links at the bottom of this page to follow us on Instagram and Facebook, and use the "support us" tab to help us meet our fundraising goals.
Thanks for reading,
- Joe