Teens to Trails will host its inaugural RelayVous Oct. 16-18 at Camp Gustin in Sabattus, a weekend of trail challenges and teamwork for Maine middle and high school Outdoor Clubs. The community is invited to join in and help send more Maine students on outdoor adventures.

The RelayVous brings Outdoor Clubs together for a weekend of team building, an all-day trail relay, and a community cookout, capped by a collaborative fundraising campaign. In the weeks leading up to the event, clubs raise money together through Givebutter, each with its own link to share within their community, with families, and beyond.

Most Outdoor Clubs receive little to no funding from their schools, so the money they raise is often what makes trips, gear, and outings possible throughout the year. Under the event's fundraising model, “A Rising Tide Lifts All Canoes,” half of everything raised collectively stays with the clubs that raised it, helping fund their outdoor trips throughout the school year, and the other half supports Teens to Trails programming and club funding statewide. Every club benefits from the total raised, not just its own fundraising.

“The RelayVous is about more than raising money, it’s about coming together to celebrate the outdoors, learn new outdoor skills, and connect with others, all while helping make more outdoor adventures possible for Maine students,” said Nate Snow, executive director of Teens to Trails. “Every gift helps a club get outside, and it also helps make sure more students across the state have that same chance.”

The more the community gives, the more everyone unlocks. Collective fundraising milestones include $10,000 for RelayVous T-shirts, $15,000 for a s’mores station on course, $20,000 for a dessert food truck, $25,000 for trip giveaways for Outdoor Clubs, and $35,000 to unlock additional grants and funds for clubs.

Members of the public who want to support Maine students getting outside can give directly through the campaign page at givebutter.com/teenstotrailsrelayvous.

Learn more: teenstotrails.org/relayvous