From the President
Dear AORE Members,
Outdoor educators are all very familiar with the importance of a solid route plan for a trip or expedition to be successful. In order
for the plan to succeed the entire team must understand and support it. AORE’s route plan is the 2015-2020 Strategic Plan. The
Board of Directors began working on this plan at our Mid-Year Meeting in June and it was completed in November at our Annual
Conference. I am pleased that so many of you participated in the creation of our Strategic Plan. Now that the plan is complete, we
begin the hard work of implementing it. The Board of Directors and each committee have developed their 2015 goals in support of
the Strategic Plan. I look forward to sharing these goals with you soon. Also, I would like to challenge each member to review the
Strategic Plan and contact a board member about how to get involved in advancing the AORE’s mission by supporting this
plan. You may also fill out the "Give/Get" campaign application form in your member portal or on the AORE website.
There are many things to be excited about that are happening in the Association. The work of the Diversity Task Force has
commenced with leadership from member, Ashley Gray, and BOD members Mackenzie Brady, Paul Sanford, and Albert Mitugo. An
AORE app has been acquired which will bring year–round functionality to the membership. President Elect, Russ Watts, has been
busy planning for AORE’s first Board of Director’s election which will be managed on-line. Thanks to a generous anonymous donor
and the work of the Financial Advisory Committee comprised of Kent Grier, Tim Moore, and Tim Mertz, the first returns from
AORE’s financial investments have started rolling in. Finally, our Annual Conference in Portland saw the largest attendance to date.
Unfortunately, the news is not all good. As many of you know, AORE founding member, Patsy Kott, lost her battle with cancer in
February. I encourage you to read the article by fellow founding member, Tim Moore, honoring Patsy in this newsletter.
I would like to take this time to thank the many volunteers who move the Association forward; the Conference hosts, the
committee chairs and members, the task force members, and the Board of Directors, working together to advance this profession
that we love.
Sincerely,
Guy B. deBrun
AORE President
Asst. Director of Adventure & TEAM Programs
James Madison University
Photo submission by Guy deBrun, James Madison University
Adapted Sports Day
AORE Membership has its Benefits
Member-to-Member Benefits
AORE’s mission is to provide opportunities for professionals and students in the
field of outdoor recreation and education. To support this mission, AORE provides a range of services to its members including:
As a grassroots, member driven organization, the AORE provides a community
Listserv that allows opportunities for:
Discounts on certifications, equipment, and conference fees
Opportunities to improve and make positive changes in the profession
Developing a network of colleagues
Professional development opportunities
Publications, new research and other works on outdoor recreation and
education
Awards and scholarships for yourself and your staff
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Information Exchange
Job Postings
Best practices sharing
Building a network of peers
Vendor discount notifications
Opportunities to create a common voice
Opportunities to provide input to AORE