'Warm and Fuzzy' to encourage more people to enjoy the outdoors

02 Oct '08

3 min read

Reinforcing its commitment to growing participation in the outdoors, W.L. Gore & Associates, respected worldwide for its GORE-TEX fabric technologies, announced the launch.

The site is an online portal where consumers are able to raise awareness and support for three respected outdoor charities that could suffer during the existing tough economic times, when charitable giving is likely to decrease.

Part of a national campaign, "Give a Warm Fuzzy, Get a Warm Fuzzy" connects visitors to Big City Mountaineers Continental Divide Trail Alliance and the Outdoor Industries Women's Coalition and enables visitors to make donations to the organizations between October 1, and December 15, 2008.

For users registering to the site, Gore will make a donation on the visitor's behalf to one of the three charities. Online visitors can also generate "points" for their chosen charity by playing an educational game, inviting friends to join, and/or by donating $10, $20 or $25 directly.

The charity with the most points by December 15, 2008, will receive the biggest percentage donation from Gore. As an additional thank you, participating donors will be entered to win free WINDSTOPPER warm and fuzzy products such as scarves, headbands, jackets as well as t-shirts. Winners will be announced at the end of the program.

"This new Web portal connects consumers to three well-known groups working hard to encourage more people to enjoy the outdoors," said Diane Davidson, market development for Gore.

"In addition, the site educates consumers about the benefits of the WINDSTOPPER brand so they can make the appropriate choices when selecting garments for winter.

Now more than ever, in a tough economy, outdoor enthusiasts are looking for garments that are especially versatile, durable and provide the comfort and performance they need."

The feel-good aspect of donating to an outdoor cause relates to the actual "warm fuzzy" feel of the WINDSTOPPER product itself.

WINDSTOPPER fabric, marking its most successful year since it was launched in 1991, provides apparel manufacturers with proprietary technologies for keeping consumers warm and comfortable with its total windproofness, maximum breathability and water resistance.

The "Warm and Fuzzy" campaign, aimed at like-minded consumers with a passion for the outdoors, connects these enthusiasts with a sense of community. In addition, it provides easy access to charities making a difference in the outdoor industry.

The mission of Big City Mountaineers (BCM) is to provide urban teenage youth in need with positive adult mentoring in a challenging, yet safe wilderness experience.

The Continental Divide Trail Alliance has 3,000 members working to increase public involvement, volunteer commitment and private support on the trail. The vision of Outdoor Industries Women's Coalition is to bring more women into the outdoor industry.

"We appreciate being part of this new Gore initiative," said Josh Shusko, executive director of the Continental Trail Divide Alliance.

"We love having the opportunity to showcase the quality work that results from the support of outdoor enthusiasts. Having a community dedicated to their passion for the outdoors keeps our mission alive on a daily basis. We are thankful to Gore for this opportunity."

W. L. Gore & Associates

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