58% discount through OfferMint

Venture Outdoors, in association with OfferMint is excited to bring you a great offer for the Summer 2010 paddling and pedaling season at Kayak Pittsburgh. We’re also excited to announce an expanded fleet of kayaks and bikes available.

Buy now – this offer ends in 3 days.
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Closing Day at Kayak Pittsburgh

Bring your coupons, passes or certificates; this Saturday is your last chance to use any Kayak Pittsburgh rebates valid in 2009 as the downtown loaction of Kayak Pittsburgh will close for the season on Saturday, October 31 at 5:30 PM.
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Last days of paddling at Kayak Pittsburgh

Halloween is just 4 weeks away, which means we are down to our last few weekends of paddling in 2009! Kayak Pittsburgh Downtown will be open 10:00 AM-7:00 PM Saturdays and Sundays in October, but will close for the season on Saturday, October 31.

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RADical Day Canceled at Kayak Pittsburgh

Due to river closures for Head of the Ohio, the RADical Day at Kayak Pittsburgh on Saturday, October 3 has been canceled and Kayak Pittsburgh will be closed.

Kayak Pittsburgh will be open on Sunday, October 4 at 10:00 AM.

It’s that time of year again, RAD days are popping up across the city. RADical days mean free admission at cultural assets such as museums, zoos and yes Kayak Pittsburgh! This Saturday, October 3 is the annual RADical Day at Kayak Pittsburgh Downtown. It’s your chance to kayak for free from 10:00 AM-7:00 PM.

Kayak Pittsburgh Downtown is located under the 6th Street Bridge next to PNC Park (North Shore). No experience is necessary; you’ll receive a PFD and basic safety and paddling instruction.

RADicals Days are made possible by Allegheny Regional Asset District (RAD)
The mission of RAD is to support and finance regional assets in the areas of libraries, parks and recreation, cultural, sports and civic facilities and programs. The District receives one-half of the proceeds from the 1% Allegheny County Sales and Use Tax and the other half is paid directly to the County and municipal governments by the State Treasurer.

Since 1995, the 1% County Sales tax paid by residents of and visitors to Allegheny County has resulted in a cumulative $1.97 billion investment in the region (through 2008).

Find out more about RAD

Venture Outdoors in Allegheny Commons all summer long!

Local nonprofit kicks off new programs and summer events in the North Side

(Pittsburgh, PA) – Kayak Pittsburgh has become a must-do for the Pittsburgh community’s summer recreation list, and now the excitement is growing with one more location at Lake Elizabeth in Allegheny Commons. Open seven days a week, this unique, beginner-friendly destination is the perfect place to put a paddle in the water for the first time…or make it a regular part of your family’s summer routine. Offering scenic views of the downtown skyline from elegantly designed shallow lake, it’s ideal for families and beginners, either after work or on weekends.

“This year we are putting special emphasis on growing the diversity of the outdoors community to include even more people from urban neighborhoods through our new Kayak Pittsburgh location in Allegheny Commons and our Family and Community Programs initiative,” said Sean Brady, Assistant Executive Director of Venture Outdoors and North Side resident.
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VO's Great Outdoors Week Activities

Receive 20% off all Venture Outdoors activities during Great Outdoors Week as a VO Member!

During the week following the Venture Outdoors Festival on Saturday, May 16, we have 18 programs scheduled that showcase all the great recreational opportunities Southwestern Pennsylvania has to offer. From kayaking to fishing to bicycling to hiking, you can do it all close to home!

Use the promotional code GOW2009 to receive a 20% discount when you register for any Venture Outdoors activity between the dates of Sunday, May 17 and Sunday, May 23.

Great Outdoors Week Activities:

Sunday, May 17
Grandview Scenic Byway Park Hike
Great Outdoors Week Bike Ride on the Great Allegheny Passage

Monday, May 18
Just Paddle
Beginner Paddle – North Park

Tuesday, May 19
PA Wildlife Center and Nature Trail Tyke Hike
Medicinal Plants Hike

Wednesday, May 20
Wednesday Wake Up Paddles
Hike and Eat Locally

Thursday, May 21
Perk-up Hikes
Sunset and Sushi Paddle

Friday, May 22
Happy Hour Paddle
Doggie Day Trek Lite

Saturday, May 23
Jay Walk in the Park and Aviary Tour
WYEP Urban Bike Tour
Hike and Wine and Cheese Boat Cruise

Sudany, May 24
Hydrobike Excursions
Natural Reflections
Day Trek at McConnell’s Mill

Introducing Family & Community Programs!

Beginning in May, Venture Outdoors and our Partners want to take you and your kids on fun, affordable outdoor adventures. We’ve launched an entire schedule of programs with the beginner in mind and have plenty of treats built-in! The fun kicks off at the free Venture Outdoors Festival, May 16 at Point State Park!

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Great Outdoors Week Brings Venture Outdoors Festival

New Family and Community Programs initiative kicks-off

(Pittsburgh, PA – May 1, 2009) The Ninth Annual Venture Outdoors Festival, the region’s premier outdoor recreation event, will be held Saturday, May 16, 2009, rain or shine at Pittsburgh’s Point State Park from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. This year, the Venture Outdoors Festival will kick off the organization’s new Family and Community Programs initiative.

“The Venture Outdoors Festival itself brings together the numerous outdoor recreation groups of the region,” said Sean Brady, Assistant Executive Director of Venture Outdoors. “This year we are putting special emphasis on growing the diversity of the outdoors community to include even more people from urban neighborhoods through our Family and Community Programs initiative.”

The Venture Outdoors Festival, sponsored by UPMC Health Plan, is a free event where individuals and families can sample the many outdoor activities available in our region. The event features kayaking, biking, dragon boating, rock climbing, fishing and more. Participants can hone their skills or try these activities for the first time — with experienced instructors to provide guidance — and learn where to enjoy these activities all season long.
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Northside Youth Discovering Outdoor Opportunities

On a recent Venture Outdoors Youth Program, Lorenze Jefferson of the Pittsburgh Project brought a group of students to kayak for the first time on the Allegheny River. Many of the students were apprehensive about the activity, and one student refused to step into the seemingly dangerous kayak.

“I had to get on my knees and do back flips for her to get into a kayak,” said Jefferson, high school coordinator at the Pittsburgh Project.

But once Jefferson’s student reluctantly stepped into the kayak, he said he had to later convince her to get out of the water, she was having that much fun.

For the students at the North Side’s Pittsburgh Project, the first step to getting acquainted with the outdoors may literally mean getting their “feet wet,” but after that initial experience, they are turned on to another world of recreation they may not have ever thought was meant for them, Jefferson said.

“Some students haven’t ever ridden a bike before. The students we work with in this community, sometimes they don’t get to see outside their North Side experience, so those are some of the pluses that come with Venture Outdoors,” Jefferson said.

The almost 60 students at Pittsburgh Project’s summer program, called the Underground, are some of the 2,000 youths served by the Venture Outdoors Youth Programs.

Located in the North Side, Pittsburgh Project is a faith-based nonprofit with a mission of developing leaders and serving some of the city’s vulnerable residents. The Project serves youth in the Pittsburgh Perry and Oliver schools through after-school programs that provide leadership-based and team building activities, tutoring, mentorship and cultural activities through organizations such as Venture Outdoors. This Underground program at Pittsburgh Project helps students transition into high school and begin to think about college through meet-and-greets with professionals and college tours. In order to expand their view of their own neighborhoods, students in Pittsburgh Project participate in Venture Outdoors youth group programs such as kayaking, caving, biking and geocaching.

And from the moment Pittsburgh Project students hit the Allegheny River on the Venture Outdoors kayaks, Jefferson said the view of their neighborhood and its value almost immediately changes. Students learn through outdoor activity what their own city offers to them, and they begin to realize how they can promote a healthy lifestyle by using their own parks, walkways and local rivers for enjoyment.

Venture Outdoors Youth Programs
The Youth Programs are made possible for organizations such as the Pittsburgh Project by a scholarship given by Venture Outdoors. The scholarship is funded in part by contributions from individuals, corporations, and foundation grants.

These programs are designed to get youth groups outside in a safe, easy, and fun manner. They are conducted at the beginner level by trained and experienced guides and require no prior experience or equipment. Participants learn new skills and ethics associated with each activity, as well as about the environment and how to interact with their peers. Activities include kayaking, cruiser biking, fishing, climbing walls, and geocaching hikes using GPS units. They are great alternatives for summer camp programs, birthday parties, or after school activities.

Contact
For more information on Venture Outdoors Youth Programs, please contact Jeremiah Morrison, at jeremiah@ventureoutodors.org or 412-255-0564 x 33.

For more information on Pittsburgh Project, please visit www.pittsburghproject.org.

VO Members Receive $5 Off All Paddling Trips throughout October

October is your last chance to get out on the water this season, so grab a jacket and come check out the beautiful fall foliage. Venture Outdoors members receive $5 off all paddling trips throughout October. Simply use the promotion code 10PdDsc08 when registering. Click here to go straight to the Activities Calendar.

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