Queen of Tyke Hikes: Lindsay Rethage

Parents and participants, meet Lindsay Rethage, leader of Tyke Hikes. Lindsay became involved with the program when Venture Outdoors was still Western Pennsylvania Field Institute. As her cohort, Beth Pedone, moves back into the workforce, Lindsay is stepping up to keep growing this fantastic program. Watch for her to begin leading Tyke Hikes come April!

Hometown? Toronto, Canada

What brought you to Pittsburgh? I was traveling back and forth from Toronto for business a lot and I would always try to extend my trips a little with outdoor rec. I called one outfitter who said they didn’t have anything for me, but they put me in touch with Mike Schiller (then WPFI executive director), and he and his wife took me out hiking for a weekend.

So you’ve been involved with Venture Outdoors since the beginning.
After a year or two of traveling back and forth, I decided to move here. WPFI was instrumental in that. It was comforting to meet all these people. I met my husband through WPFI…a friend on a hike set us up on a blind date.

You and Joe have two girls, right? Are they outdoor enthusiasts already?
Avery is 4 and Madison is 2. We really started doing Tyke Hikes when Avery was 6 weeks old so, she’s spent a lot of time outside.

How have Tyke Hikes changed since those early years? What’s planned for this year?
We want to increase, expand. We don’t just meet on Tuesdays like we did at first, we have some Thursdays, and we try to include weekends for parents who do work. We’ve capped the age at 0-8 to make this program a stepping stone to VO’s other programs, like the Family & Community programs. Right now I try to keep my hikes in a 10 mile radius of my home…my hikes are at Frick and Schenley Parks in the South Hills. We have another volunteer, Ebony, who will start doing hikes on Thursdays.

What are your other hobbies and volunteer activities?
I also love kayaking and family camping. I used to own an organizing business, which I’d like to do again someday here in Pittsburgh.

If a parent walked up to you and asked, “why should I get my kids outside,” how would you explain your passion for this?
When I look at my kids, I want them to be aware of nature. It keeps your mind healthy. I can’t really ask my 2-year old how she feels about being outside, but she’s so happy. I want them outside playing and asking questions about rocks and spiders and leaves and birds. You can just tell…they don’t need a videogame in their hands, they have a leaf.

For more information on Tyke Hikes visit, ventureoutdoors.org/tykehikes.aspx.