1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:02,360 Speaker 1: Military Monday is something that we started here because we 2 00:00:02,440 --> 00:00:05,040 Speaker 1: want to help folks out in the military community. And 3 00:00:05,320 --> 00:00:09,040 Speaker 1: my vision for this is always to be more involved. 4 00:00:09,080 --> 00:00:11,480 Speaker 1: Whether that means helping somebody put a roof on their 5 00:00:11,480 --> 00:00:14,000 Speaker 1: home or helping somebody that's in need, that we do 6 00:00:14,040 --> 00:00:16,680 Speaker 1: that and we like to showcase things that help people 7 00:00:17,360 --> 00:00:20,840 Speaker 1: out that because you may not always think about it 8 00:00:20,840 --> 00:00:23,160 Speaker 1: in this way. We think about people that come home 9 00:00:23,640 --> 00:00:27,000 Speaker 1: and they might have PTSD, they've been, you know, somewhere 10 00:00:27,040 --> 00:00:29,520 Speaker 1: serving our country and things just might not be going 11 00:00:29,560 --> 00:00:32,360 Speaker 1: their way. But for people that live the military life, Nick, 12 00:00:32,400 --> 00:00:35,120 Speaker 1: there's a lot of stuff involved. There's constant moves, there's 13 00:00:35,200 --> 00:00:38,159 Speaker 1: kids that get uprooted, there's things that are always in 14 00:00:38,200 --> 00:00:41,960 Speaker 1: constant and perpetual motion. And there's a group that's working 15 00:00:41,960 --> 00:00:47,920 Speaker 1: together now to take military families, veterans and the like 16 00:00:47,960 --> 00:00:49,680 Speaker 1: and just get them out and get them out and 17 00:00:49,880 --> 00:00:52,400 Speaker 1: connected with other military families. I want to bring in 18 00:00:52,880 --> 00:00:54,960 Speaker 1: Kayley White, is it right, Kayley White. 19 00:00:55,280 --> 00:00:56,520 Speaker 2: That's right? How's going? 20 00:00:56,760 --> 00:01:00,760 Speaker 1: You know these guys, I'm severely medicated this morning and 21 00:01:01,240 --> 00:01:03,120 Speaker 1: there was a little okay, so they had a little 22 00:01:03,120 --> 00:01:06,360 Speaker 1: mix up on your name, but we're good. Kayley tell 23 00:01:06,360 --> 00:01:09,560 Speaker 1: me about Explorers for All Blue Star Families, and I 24 00:01:09,640 --> 00:01:13,360 Speaker 1: like the way you guys approach this because everybody's view 25 00:01:13,400 --> 00:01:16,640 Speaker 1: of the outdoors is different, right, Like somebody might want 26 00:01:16,640 --> 00:01:18,640 Speaker 1: to go fishing. Other people might say, well, I'm worried 27 00:01:18,640 --> 00:01:20,080 Speaker 1: about how to do that, how do I do that? 28 00:01:20,160 --> 00:01:22,800 Speaker 1: And what if I fail? Right, your deal is just 29 00:01:23,120 --> 00:01:25,320 Speaker 1: let's get going, Let's get you out there, and we'll 30 00:01:25,319 --> 00:01:25,960 Speaker 1: take it from there. 31 00:01:26,720 --> 00:01:30,919 Speaker 2: Yeah. One percent. So a first and foremost my professional mission, 32 00:01:30,920 --> 00:01:33,440 Speaker 2: my personal mission is that everybody deserves the seat of 33 00:01:33,480 --> 00:01:36,440 Speaker 2: the table when it comes to recreating outdoors, especially the 34 00:01:36,440 --> 00:01:40,000 Speaker 2: military community, who, like you mentioned, have a set of 35 00:01:40,040 --> 00:01:44,679 Speaker 2: different variables that can make things more difficult, constant moves different. 36 00:01:44,760 --> 00:01:46,840 Speaker 2: Maybe your spouse is deployed for a year and the 37 00:01:46,880 --> 00:01:49,480 Speaker 2: spouse that's left behind doesn't feel comfortable bringing their family 38 00:01:49,880 --> 00:01:52,600 Speaker 2: into the outdoors alone. There's there's a million things. One 39 00:01:52,600 --> 00:01:56,040 Speaker 2: and four military families face food insecurity. If your family's 40 00:01:56,040 --> 00:01:58,120 Speaker 2: worried about feeding your children, chances are that you're not 41 00:01:58,120 --> 00:02:00,600 Speaker 2: worried about how you're going to get outside. So Blue 42 00:02:00,600 --> 00:02:04,240 Speaker 2: Star Families is a nonprofit and the program that I run, 43 00:02:04,280 --> 00:02:07,480 Speaker 2: Outdoor Explorers for All, is a nationwide program that selects 44 00:02:07,520 --> 00:02:10,800 Speaker 2: different locations every year, and at those locations, I do 45 00:02:10,840 --> 00:02:14,160 Speaker 2: everything in my power to remove the barriers that would 46 00:02:14,200 --> 00:02:17,320 Speaker 2: keep these families from getting to experience nature. So if 47 00:02:17,320 --> 00:02:20,040 Speaker 2: they apply and get selected, there's no cost for them 48 00:02:20,080 --> 00:02:23,920 Speaker 2: to participate whatsoever. It's a five event series, and like 49 00:02:23,960 --> 00:02:26,200 Speaker 2: you said, the outdoors is not a one size fits 50 00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:29,959 Speaker 2: all situation. Some families may want to know what you 51 00:02:30,040 --> 00:02:32,639 Speaker 2: know fishing is, like, they may want to know how 52 00:02:32,639 --> 00:02:35,000 Speaker 2: to get the gear to go camping. Other families I've 53 00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:37,000 Speaker 2: met tell me that there is no scenario where they 54 00:02:37,040 --> 00:02:40,440 Speaker 2: ever go camping. They really want to go hiking. And 55 00:02:40,520 --> 00:02:45,440 Speaker 2: so based on that, this series has five different events 56 00:02:45,600 --> 00:02:49,600 Speaker 2: that kind of cater to different recreation opportunities. So in 57 00:02:49,680 --> 00:02:52,280 Speaker 2: Chicago this season, we've got a lot of great things 58 00:02:52,320 --> 00:02:55,320 Speaker 2: to look forward to. I'm partnering with Wounded Warriors Project Odyssey, 59 00:02:55,919 --> 00:02:59,160 Speaker 2: I'm partnering with the team at Indiana Dune's National Park. 60 00:02:59,480 --> 00:03:03,600 Speaker 2: We've got event with Cook County Veteran Affairs, Cook County 61 00:03:03,639 --> 00:03:05,960 Speaker 2: Force Preserves, And really this is going to be a 62 00:03:05,960 --> 00:03:09,320 Speaker 2: great chance for families that are participating to experience what 63 00:03:09,440 --> 00:03:13,760 Speaker 2: is in their backyard and how they can access it easily. 64 00:03:14,080 --> 00:03:15,520 Speaker 2: Comfortably and confidently. 65 00:03:15,760 --> 00:03:18,320 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's an important point you raise, because there's a 66 00:03:18,320 --> 00:03:20,639 Speaker 1: lot of people that think every weekend you got to 67 00:03:20,680 --> 00:03:22,560 Speaker 1: get in the get in the tahoe, hook up the 68 00:03:22,560 --> 00:03:25,080 Speaker 1: bass boat and go five hours to the north or 69 00:03:25,120 --> 00:03:28,600 Speaker 1: five hours to east, get over to Michigan or whatever. 70 00:03:28,919 --> 00:03:30,600 Speaker 1: But there's a lot to do right here. So take 71 00:03:30,639 --> 00:03:32,760 Speaker 1: me through. Let's just pick the dunes. What does that 72 00:03:32,800 --> 00:03:35,400 Speaker 1: look like for a military family or somebody that wants 73 00:03:35,400 --> 00:03:37,720 Speaker 1: to and are all do you do all five of these? 74 00:03:37,720 --> 00:03:39,160 Speaker 1: Can you pick and choose? How does it work? 75 00:03:40,040 --> 00:03:42,440 Speaker 2: So it is a series that these families are going 76 00:03:42,480 --> 00:03:45,560 Speaker 2: to apply to participate in. Applications open today. The link 77 00:03:45,600 --> 00:03:47,720 Speaker 2: can be found on the Blue Star Family's website or 78 00:03:48,200 --> 00:03:51,520 Speaker 2: the Blue Star Family Chicago Facebook group. Families will apply 79 00:03:51,760 --> 00:03:57,560 Speaker 2: applications close March. First, we select twenty Chicago area families. 80 00:03:57,600 --> 00:03:59,400 Speaker 2: It could be within a maybe an hour and a 81 00:03:59,440 --> 00:04:02,680 Speaker 2: half radius of Chicago if that's where they're stationed. They 82 00:04:02,720 --> 00:04:05,840 Speaker 2: get selected and then they commit to participating in this 83 00:04:05,920 --> 00:04:09,240 Speaker 2: five event series. So as a cohort, we want them 84 00:04:09,280 --> 00:04:12,080 Speaker 2: to be able to create connections not only with these 85 00:04:12,080 --> 00:04:14,960 Speaker 2: outdoor resources in their community, but with each other. As 86 00:04:15,000 --> 00:04:17,279 Speaker 2: you mentioned, moving a lot, makes it really hard to 87 00:04:17,279 --> 00:04:20,600 Speaker 2: put down roots, makes it really hard to create friendships. 88 00:04:20,640 --> 00:04:23,280 Speaker 2: So part of the program is making sure that they 89 00:04:23,279 --> 00:04:25,720 Speaker 2: get to interact with other military families in the community. 90 00:04:26,440 --> 00:04:29,280 Speaker 2: They will participate in these five events, and then along 91 00:04:29,320 --> 00:04:32,360 Speaker 2: the way they get a ton of cool free specialized 92 00:04:32,400 --> 00:04:34,560 Speaker 2: year meant to empower them to be able to get 93 00:04:34,560 --> 00:04:39,200 Speaker 2: outdoors long after programming ends. So, for instance, in Indiana Dunes, 94 00:04:39,480 --> 00:04:41,960 Speaker 2: they are going to hike with rangers. They're going to 95 00:04:42,040 --> 00:04:44,680 Speaker 2: learn about invasive species, They're going to learn about the 96 00:04:44,720 --> 00:04:46,840 Speaker 2: park itself. They're going to get to hang out with 97 00:04:46,880 --> 00:04:49,720 Speaker 2: each other, They'll get to go birding, they'll get to 98 00:04:49,800 --> 00:04:51,760 Speaker 2: learn about different. 99 00:04:51,520 --> 00:04:53,839 Speaker 1: When you say birding, are they looking for those down 100 00:04:54,160 --> 00:04:58,040 Speaker 1: piping plovers? Because those things they'll shut the beach down 101 00:04:58,040 --> 00:04:59,040 Speaker 1: if those things show up. 102 00:05:00,200 --> 00:05:02,560 Speaker 2: They could be I don't know, that doesn't make it 103 00:05:02,600 --> 00:05:06,240 Speaker 2: sound exciting now, but yeah. So in that case, they 104 00:05:06,279 --> 00:05:08,520 Speaker 2: would be provided everything they can need to make that 105 00:05:08,640 --> 00:05:12,680 Speaker 2: experience exciting. So they would get free binoculars, free birding guides, 106 00:05:13,040 --> 00:05:16,240 Speaker 2: free birding trifles, things that really enhance the event and 107 00:05:16,279 --> 00:05:19,159 Speaker 2: make it feel exciting. We don't want these families to 108 00:05:19,240 --> 00:05:22,200 Speaker 2: want for anything like they're participating in outdoors floors for all, 109 00:05:22,240 --> 00:05:25,640 Speaker 2: we want them to have this specialized gear. Something you 110 00:05:25,680 --> 00:05:28,839 Speaker 2: brought up that's so important is how you talked about 111 00:05:28,880 --> 00:05:31,520 Speaker 2: going five hours north for the lake. Getting outdoors can 112 00:05:31,560 --> 00:05:33,200 Speaker 2: look like whatever you want it to look like. You 113 00:05:33,240 --> 00:05:36,159 Speaker 2: do not need to go on an extreme hike to 114 00:05:36,279 --> 00:05:38,880 Speaker 2: be enjoying the outdoors. You can walk to your mailbox. 115 00:05:38,920 --> 00:05:40,640 Speaker 2: You can take your kids, put them in the wagon, 116 00:05:40,920 --> 00:05:42,359 Speaker 2: go for a lock around your neighborhood. 117 00:05:42,400 --> 00:05:45,159 Speaker 1: Touch the grass, man, get out and get outside and 118 00:05:45,200 --> 00:05:47,080 Speaker 1: touch the grass, is what we like to say. Do 119 00:05:47,160 --> 00:05:50,000 Speaker 1: you find it? And you know, we've got so much 120 00:05:50,400 --> 00:05:54,480 Speaker 1: families that are connected through social media, you know, and 121 00:05:54,560 --> 00:05:56,359 Speaker 1: I get that. You know, when families are here and 122 00:05:56,440 --> 00:05:58,600 Speaker 1: there and you've got to stay in touch, that's one thing. 123 00:05:59,040 --> 00:06:01,360 Speaker 1: But you know when you get people out and they're 124 00:06:01,400 --> 00:06:03,200 Speaker 1: actually out in their bout and they keep that phone 125 00:06:03,200 --> 00:06:05,280 Speaker 1: in their pocket for four or five hours, that's a 126 00:06:05,320 --> 00:06:06,440 Speaker 1: mood elevator right there. 127 00:06:07,120 --> 00:06:10,640 Speaker 2: Oh my gosh. I cannot express enough getting the privilege 128 00:06:10,640 --> 00:06:13,359 Speaker 2: of watching these families do this series. There was a 129 00:06:13,400 --> 00:06:16,640 Speaker 2: moment at a camp out last season where I watched 130 00:06:16,720 --> 00:06:19,120 Speaker 2: kids of all ages, even the teenagers who kept giving 131 00:06:19,160 --> 00:06:21,840 Speaker 2: me dirty looks up until that moment for having them 132 00:06:21,880 --> 00:06:24,840 Speaker 2: be outside. Nobody was asking for their phones, they were 133 00:06:24,839 --> 00:06:28,800 Speaker 2: playing tag, fireflies were out, the sun was setting those moments. 134 00:06:28,880 --> 00:06:31,800 Speaker 2: Stick with the parents and show that you can get 135 00:06:31,800 --> 00:06:35,960 Speaker 2: your family outdoors. Screens are not required. Everybody can enjoy themselves. 136 00:06:36,000 --> 00:06:38,800 Speaker 2: There's something for everyone, and really it's just taking that 137 00:06:38,839 --> 00:06:39,800 Speaker 2: first poky. 138 00:06:39,480 --> 00:06:41,200 Speaker 1: Kayleie, you do have to get a picture of the 139 00:06:41,720 --> 00:06:44,680 Speaker 1: of the fireflies for the socials. Yeah, I gotta do that. 140 00:06:45,160 --> 00:06:48,200 Speaker 2: Oh if we don't get a photo, did it even happen? 141 00:06:48,320 --> 00:06:51,640 Speaker 1: Exactly? You know, we're going to put all of this 142 00:06:51,920 --> 00:06:54,080 Speaker 1: out on our social media for you. We love what 143 00:06:54,120 --> 00:06:56,240 Speaker 1: you're doing here. But before I let you go, and 144 00:06:56,279 --> 00:06:59,880 Speaker 1: this is Kaylee White. Kaylee is with loost Our Families. 145 00:07:00,200 --> 00:07:02,359 Speaker 1: I know that as I'm on your website right now, 146 00:07:02,640 --> 00:07:06,720 Speaker 1: blue starfamfam dot org. You can log on and you 147 00:07:06,720 --> 00:07:09,360 Speaker 1: can find out about research initiatives and things like that. 148 00:07:09,440 --> 00:07:11,640 Speaker 1: But you said that you don't want families to go 149 00:07:11,680 --> 00:07:15,560 Speaker 1: without that, so admirable. How's the best way for somebody 150 00:07:15,600 --> 00:07:17,760 Speaker 1: that wants to help, Maybe throw a couple dollars your way? 151 00:07:17,760 --> 00:07:18,440 Speaker 1: How do we do that? 152 00:07:19,560 --> 00:07:21,880 Speaker 2: They can reach out to me at my email at K. 153 00:07:22,440 --> 00:07:25,760 Speaker 2: White at Blue starfan dot org and I will make 154 00:07:25,800 --> 00:07:27,880 Speaker 2: sure they go in the right direction. We can always 155 00:07:27,920 --> 00:07:29,160 Speaker 2: use the support that we can get. 156 00:07:29,440 --> 00:07:33,240 Speaker 1: We'll put that email out there and we will see 157 00:07:33,240 --> 00:07:35,680 Speaker 1: if we can to help you guys have a good 158 00:07:35,680 --> 00:07:39,239 Speaker 1: time with us because it's important, especially for military families. 159 00:07:39,240 --> 00:07:41,240 Speaker 1: And you know one thing about this Indiana Dunes when 160 00:07:41,280 --> 00:07:43,160 Speaker 1: you go there. I know a lot of people here 161 00:07:43,240 --> 00:07:45,960 Speaker 1: take it for granted, but it's so important as to 162 00:07:46,160 --> 00:07:49,720 Speaker 1: how the lakes were formed, the Great Lakes and succession 163 00:07:49,760 --> 00:07:52,200 Speaker 1: and things like that is all about how the timbers 164 00:07:52,280 --> 00:07:55,080 Speaker 1: change just from the sand to maybe one hundred feet 165 00:07:55,080 --> 00:07:58,679 Speaker 1: away that got different soil and earth pushed into that area. 166 00:07:58,720 --> 00:08:01,160 Speaker 1: So it is really cool and it's a learning experience. 167 00:08:01,280 --> 00:08:03,640 Speaker 1: Really nice to make your acquaintance here on Military Monday. 168 00:08:04,280 --> 00:08:05,760 Speaker 2: Thanks so much, y'all. I appreciate you.