The Mountaineers
Last year, hundreds of people found joy and belonging outdoors thanks to Mountaineers scholarships – 433 scholarships, to be specific. Have you ever wondered what that looks like?
New members accessed Mountaineers memberships to find community and join trips and activities. Scholarship recipients took courses like navigation, canyoning, first aid, and the hiking conditioning series. Families used scholarships to afford day camps, overnight adventures, and after-school programs. More than a quarter of recipients gave back as volunteers.
Scholarships helped Mountaineers at every branch, every lodge, in every week of summer camp, and across nearly all activities. By the end of fiscal year 2024, more than $100K in financial assistance was used to promote inclusion and belonging, regardless of ability to pay.
Now is the time to replenish our scholarship fund! Giving Tuesday is next week on December 3, and all donations to The Mountaineers on that day – or any time on our special Giving Tuesday page – will be used to fund scholarships for your fellow Mountaineers through our Mountaineers Access Program.
A special invitation from the family of Jeff Bowman
This week also marks the one-year anniversary of the unexpected passing of a beloved Mountaineer. Jeff was a 29-year member and volunteer, and 23-year staff member who contributed immeasurably to helping people gain confidence and find joy outside. Like our scholarship program, you can see Jeff’s impact across every aspect of our community: from his role as climb leader and lodge host, to his contributions to Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills, to the vast online infrastructure that supports every trip, course, and program we offer.
To honor Jeff’s memory, his family will match every Giving Tuesday donation up to $20,000. This is big. We have never before raised this amount on Giving Tuesday and we are determined to rise to the challenge. If you are ready to join and double the impact of your donation, you can make your Giving Tuesday donation early!
The Mountaineers® is a 501(c)(3) organization supported through earned revenue and elevated through charitable contributions. Our staff work to support our seven branches (Bellingham, Everett, Foothills, Kitsap, Olympia, Seattle, and Tacoma), three lodges (Baker, Meany, and Stevens), and our Kitsap Forest Theater. Tax ID: 27-3009280. 7700 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115.
