AORE Awards Update
Tyler Merriman
The Outdoor Program Coordinator/Resident Director, The Evergreen State College
AORE Awards Committee
It has been both an exciting and a transitional year for the Awards Committee. At the 2014 conference in Portland,
Oregon, AORE distributed a total of 27 awards, ranging from conference attendance opportunities to professional
development funding. Throughout 2015, award recipients will be developing new skills, and perfecting existing skills, in
such areas as mountaineering, Leave No Trace principles, rock climbing, and wilderness medicine, among others.
Furthermore, AORE continued its tradition of presenting the “Big Three” awards to individuals who have greatly
contributed to the association, as well as the field of outdoor recreation and education as a whole. Among those
winners is our very own Jenn Velie, co-chair of the 2014-2015 Awards Committee.
Behind the scenes, the Awards Committee has been diligent in working on a variety of operational goals.
Historically, the committee has been blessed to experience consistent leadership from year to year, thus allowing for
smooth transitions and improved award offerings. In the last two years, a 100% turnover in Awards Committee
members impressed upon the AORE that it was a top priority to solidify and expand its existing standard operating
procedures. Therefore, we have been working hard with the Board of Directors to create a detailed manual spelling out
everything one would need to know about how to maximize the committee’s impact, and in such a way that allows for
greater of fW&