Hi John.

The Boundary Waters has been on my bucket list for years! I work at KEEN Footwear in Oregon, and this summer I finally got a chance to visit as part of a trip benefitting Outside Safe Space - which promotes LGBTQ+ welcoming in outdoor and rural places.
Our trip started out soaking wet, and we tackled many portages. A portage – in case you aren’t familiar -- is when you yell “Uffda,” grab a canoe, sling it on your shoulders, and trek into the forest to the next lake. On our paddle routes along the international border of Canada, we encountered wildlife, jaw-dropping views across glassy waters, ancient pictographs painted on cliffsides, and nine strangers became fast friends.
The fact is: environmental issues and social justice issues go together. You can’t have one without the other. A lot of this trip consisted of conversations about how rural areas don’t welcome diversity. How BIPOC and the LGBQT+ community don’t feel welcome or safe in rural or remote places.

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But these spaces are for everyone, and it’s up to us to protect and create those safe spaces so that everyone has the opportunity to heal, connect, and of course have FUN!
Today is Give to the Max Day, Minnesota’s most significant giving holiday for nonprofits, and Save the Boundary Waters is only $50,000 away from maximizing their match of $150,000 -- will you help by making a gift today? [[link removed]]

Let’s protect this wild and beautiful place together,
Katie Meo, KEEN Footwear
This year’s Queer Boundary Waters Trip was sponsored by Ely Outfitting Company to benefit Mikah Meyer’s Outside Safe Space, with additional support from Patagonia, KEEN, REI Co-op, Granite Gear, and True North Map Co.
P.S. Donate now and your gift will be doubled for the Boundary Waters thanks to a $150,000 match!

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Save the Boundary Waters
P.O. Box 625
Ely, MN 55731
United States
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