News

Check out what's new with Switchback below! If you want to stay in the loop, sign up for our mailing list (link here!).

November 2023

The Rundown

Hello Friends of Switchback!

As per usual, the Switchback team has been BUSY! We've been onboarding new volunteers and community advisory board members, securing fantastic partnerships with local similar-minded organizations, and hosting and attending lots of events. It's been quite the fall season! We've also been hard at work putting the finishing touches on our Gear Library. We promise it's launching soon-- stay tuned! 

One big thing to look forward to - we are having a Chipotle Fundraiser on Saturday, December 9! See more information below. 

Fall Pop-Up Sale

On Sunday, November 12 we hosted our 5th Pop-Up Gear Sale! This sale, which took place at the Chapel Hill YMCA, featured over 300 outdoor gear items. Overall, we raised over $1,000, all of which will go towards funding our Switchback Gear Library.

Stay tuned for future Switchback Pop-Up Sales!

New Volunteer Opportunity

We are seeking volunteers who can help out in-person at Durham Parks and Recreation for a minimum of 4 hours per month on Tuesday, Wednesdays, or Thursdays. This is flexible!

As a Volunteer Gear Librarian, you would be responsible for cleaning and organizing camping gear to make sure it’s in working order for folks who will be checking it out through the library system.

Volunteer Gear Librarians can be anyone 18 and older. We encourage friends to volunteer together! 

You can apply to volunteer at this link.

Living Out the Switchback Mission

Here are a couple of ways you can live out the Switchback vision where experiencing the outdoors is accessible, inclusive, safe, and affordable for all people!

• Continue to recycle your old gear by donating to Switchback! We will continue to accept gear donations throughout the next few months - contact our team using our email (hello@switchbackgear.org) or website contact link to arrange donation pick-ups/drop-offs. 

• If you're interested in getting involved with Switchback, check out our Member Interest Form!

• Follow us on social media! @switchbackgearcollective on Instagram and Facebook to stay updated on upcoming events!

October 2023

Living Out the Switchback Mission

Here are a couple of ways you can live out the Switchback vision where experiencing the outdoors is accessible, inclusive, safe, and affordable for all people!

• VOTE! November 7 is coming up and many states and municipalities are having elections on this day. Check to see if there is an election happening in your area. In North Carolina, voting day is November 7 (early voting ends on November 4).

• Continue to recycle your old gear by donating to Switchback! We will continue to accept gear donations throughout the next few months - contact our team using our email (hello@switchbackgear.org) or website contact link to arrange donation pick-ups/drop-offs. 

• If you're interested in getting involved with Switchback, check out our Member Interest Form!

• Follow us on social media! @switchbackgearcollective on Instagram and Facebook to stay updated on upcoming events!

September 2023

Join Us For Trunk-or-Treat!

This year, we'll be joining the Chapel Hill Community Center's "Haunted Hill" community Halloween event! Join us on Saturday, October 28 from 5:00-6:30 pm for "Trunk-or-Treating," or in our case, "Tent-or-Treating!" This is a family-friendly event – can't wait to see you there!

Find more information about Haunted Hill here! This is a drop-in event; no registration required.

National Public Lands Day & The Connection Between Parks and Health

On September 23, we celebrated National Public Lands Day! According to the City of Raleigh Department of Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resources, this day celebrates the connection between people and green space in their community, inspires environmental stewardship, and encourages use of open space for education, recreation, and health benefits. 

Here are some evidence-based reasons as to why access to parks and outdoor spaces are beneficial to everyone's health:

• Spending at least 120 minutes a week in nature is good for health and wellbeing.

Source: (White et al., 2019)

• Viewing and spending time in nature lowers cortisol and blood pressure and is linked with decreasing stress, depression, and anxiety.

Source: (Bratman, Hamilton, Hahn, et al., 2015). (Cox, Shanahan, Hudson, 2017). (Bratman, Daily, et al., 2015). (Duncan, Clarke, Birch, 2014). (Haluza et al, 2014).

• Exposure to nature has many physiologic benefits beyond just mental health. Individuals exercise longer, more vigorously, and more regularly in green spaces and parks compared to other areas.

Source: (Gladwell, Brown, Wood, et al., 2013).

• The AWE effect: nature makes you more creative. Experiencing the wonder of nature can inspire folks to solve problems more cooperatively and creatively.

Source: (Stellar, Gordon, Piff, et al., 2017). (Zhang, Piff, Iyer, et al, 2015).

• Nature makes you more generous to others. Viewing beautiful nature scenes can result in people being more cooperative and generous to others, even in the presence of strangers.

Source: (Zelinski, Dopko, Capaldi, 2016).

• Living near green spaces reduces mortality even when adjusted for socio-demographic factors.

Source: (Vienneau, Danielle et al., 2017). (Xu, Lixia et al., 2017). (James, Hart et al., 2016). (Gascon, Triguero-Mas, Martinez et al., 2016). (Brown, Lombard, Wang, 2016).

• Access to parks is improves outdoor equity, addressing health disparities and benefiting people’s health and wellbeing.

Source: (Lachowycz and Jones 2014). (Wolch, Byrne, Newell, 2014). (Maas et al., 2006). (Mitchell and Popham 2008).

August 2023

July 2023

Living out the Switchback Mission

Here are a couple of ways you can live out the Switchback vision where experiencing the outdoors is accessible, inclusive, safe, and affordable for all people!

• Advocate for outdoor equity! Email your elected officials and encourage them to support the Outdoors for All Act (S.448/H.R. 1065), which would provide funding for the Outdoors Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) program. This program supports projects to expand outdoor opportunities in urban and low-income communities. 

  • • You can support the passage of Outdoors for All Act by sending an email to your elected officials directly through the REI website.

June 2023

Living out the Switchback Mission

Here are a couple of ways you can live out the Switchback vision where experiencing the outdoors is accessible, inclusive, safe, and affordable for all people!

• While we close out Pride Month, we also wanted to shout out this incredible short film from REI, which features The Venture Out Project, an organization that provides a safe and fun space for queer, trans, and LGBTQ+ people to experience the outdoors. This short film highlights the importance of intergenerational support and mentorship within the LGBTQ+ community, as well as the benefit of building community through outdoor recreation. We hope it inspires you to live out the Switchback Mission by embracing inclusion and allyship.

Living out the Switchback Mission

Here are a couple of ways you can live out the Switchback vision where experiencing the outdoors is accessible, inclusive, safe, and affordable for all people!

• April 22nd, was Earth Day! Continue to celebrate and honor the Earth by thinking of ways to sustain and protect Mother Nature while using outdoor spaces. Our environmental diversity (not just in terms of the way the Earth adapts but also the beautiful people who can and should have equitable access to the outdoors) is one of our greatest strengths! How can we as a community continue to protect, foster, and grow her? A place to start can be:

  • 1. Use a reusable water bottle

    2. Unplug outlets when not using them

    3. Donate your used gear to Switchback Gear Collective

    4. Leave no trace when visiting outdoor spaces

• Continue thinking about who has access and the privilege to experience the outdoors. People of color often face other barriers beyond just cost to accessing and feeling safe outdoors. We at Switchback recognize the work is continuous. If you're interested in learning more, NC State published this great article on why the outdoor spaces lace diversity and inclusion

• Gentle reminder! Something we at Switchback hope to amplify is that an outdoorsy lifestyle does not mean sending a 50 mile backpacking hike every weekend. It can mean going on a 10 minute walk outside once a week or reading at the park during the summer. Whatever outdoor access may look like to you, we want to make sure folks feel prepared and safe to participate in your outdoor endeavor! 

March 2023

The Rundown

We had a pop-up! On Saturday, February 25th, we had our first pop-up of 2023 at the Downtown Durham YMCA. What an incredible turnout it was. Despite the gloomy, gross day, our community showed up and showed out in a major way. We sold a lot of great pieces of gear to a lot of folks who were checking out Switchback largely for the first time! After it's all said and done, we made about $1,700. This is so, so, SO huge. All of the money will directly go towards buying three pilot camp set ups making us that much closer to our goal of opening up a gear library in the Triangle!

Huge thank you to our community partner and host site, the Downtown Durham YMCA. It was such a pleasure to meet new folks, see old friends, and support our community. We are so deeply grateful to everyone who came out and checked out Switchback!

Surprise Sneak Peek of our Merch Drop!

I told y'all I gotchu. We made t-shirts! This is a limited drop of our Switchback t-shirts. I'll tell ya what, you, the newsletter receivers, readers, and skimmers, are getting the first sneak peak of the shirt. Next week, when we release the information for orders, you better run to our Square shop. When I tell y'all we made a limited number, I'm not playing around. There are a small amount of shirts ranging from S - XL. If you want one of these limited shirts keep your eyes peeled for an email next week detailing the drop and shopping options.

Get Involved with the Switchback Network

We are launching our Member Interest Form. If you are in the Triangle area and want to get involved with Switchback IRL, checkout our Member Interest Form!

We have different ways to get involved. Our Volunteer Network are for people who are interested in assisting with collecting gear, poppin' up at pop-ups and gear drives, or lending their knowledge of the outdoors and outdoor gear. The Leadership Team is for folks who want to help Switchback advance outdoor equity. Last but not least, our Community Advisory Board (CAB) is an opportunity to offer guidance to Switchback's decision making and ensures that community voice and needs are being heard. Below this blurb is a detailed flyer about each way you can get involved.

If you're interested in joining Switchback, fill out the Member Interest Form. 

Switchback Spotlight 

This month's Switchback Spotlight is on the Downtown Durham YMCA. As y'all know we hosted our pop-up with them. They were amazing partners who assisted in the organization, marketing, and execution of this successful event! Located in "the heart of Durham," only blocks away from the Durham Farmer's Market on Morgan Street, this YMCA provides wonderful opportunities to the families and individuals of Durham. They have a Kid Zone, multiple family programs, and of course fitness and gym availability (and an indoor pool!) Check them out; tell them Switchback sent you!

YMCA Families On! Challenge is an exciting upcoming event the A. E Finley YMCA in Raleigh is hosting on May 6. The YMCA Families On! Challenge, is an exciting, family fun run specifically designed for all ages and athletic abilities. Family, friends, co-workers and teammates experience “Get Out & Go!”, the run theme, on an outdoor adventure course.

This self-paced, 2+ mile outdoor adventure course features 20+ creative challenges. Participants will play in the mud, slide down a massive slip and slide and so much more! Everyone is encouraged to race at their own pace and have a great time.

If you're interested in more information or registering, click the link here. 

Living out the Switchback Mission

Here are a couple of ways you can live out the Switchback vision where experiencing the outdoors is accessible, inclusive, safe, and affordable for all people!

• Continue thinking about who has access and the privilege to experience the outdoors. Technically, Black History Month ended in February, but we at Switchback recognize the work is continuous. People of color often face other barriers beyond just cost to accessing and feeling safe outdoors. If you're interested in learning more this article is a great starting place.

We hope to see you in all in the Switchback Volunteer Network. In the meantime, Happy March and happy Women's History Month! From everyone at Switchback, we wish the community much growth and blooming going into spring!

xoxo,

Switchback

The Rundown

Good golly miss molly, can you believe we're already at the end of January?! While we all know time is fake, Switchback has already put on our first donation drive of the year! On Saturday, January 14th, we held a donation drive at Fullsteam Brewery in Durham. It was our first event in Durham and a great outreach event for us!

Looking to February, we will have a pop-up at the downtown Durham YMCA. Follow us on Instagram and like us on Facebook to see the details when we release them! I'll tell ya right now, friend to friend, a little insider trading if you will...there is some quality gear in February's pop-up. But you gotta come out and see it for yourself. 

A quick blast to the past

You may or may not recall, because let's be real remembering is hard...in our last newsletter we hinted that Switchback was going to drop some surprise holiday gifts. Well.. we. did. that. In a limited quantity drop, Switchback dropped three different, hand-poured candles. The scents were: The Outer Banks, The Piedmont, and The Blue Ridge Mountains. Once again, shameless plug, make sure you're on our mailing list and follow our social media handles as who knows...there could be another drop in the works. 

If that wasn't already tough enough to remember, in that same newsletter, we mentioned that some Switchback members entered the UNC Gillings Pitch Competition. If you're interested, read (or let's be honest, skim) the article that features Switchback Gear and all the other participants from the competition. 

New Year, New Us: Durham Edition!

In the name of setting New Year Resolutions, one thing that Switchback is committed to is using Durham Parks and Recreation services more! Durham Parks and Rec has a really handy events calendar that lays out all events they are putting on from January to June (as of right now, they will update it with events later in the month, because honestly who even knows what they're having for dinner tomorrow let alone their plans in July). Some events we have our eyes on this upcoming February is the Botany Bar Crawl, where people aged 21+ can learn how plants are used/made into adult beverages. There is also their Fourth Friday Fire, where all ages are able to come and enjoy sitting by a bonfire. If you're interested in seeing what other events are offered give their calendar events page a look, there's so many great events for all!

Living out the Switchback Mission

Here are a couple of ways you can live out the Switchback vision where experiencing the outdoors is accessible, inclusive, safe, and affordable for all people!

• If you're interested in learning more about the outdoors, one of our favorite organizations, Send Femme, just made their membership free! As an organization that supports women (cis/non-cis) and gender minorities of all levels in sending male-dominated sports, we are a big fan! Check them out! 

November 2022

Pitch Competition

As if two events over last weekend weren't enough, some of our Switchback Founders participated in the UNC Gillings Pitch Competition! For the last couple of months, three co-founders of Switchback have been fine-tuning a pitch for the Gillings School Pitch Competition, with their mentor, Nicole Bates (thank you, Nicole, for being such an inspiration to us!). On Thursday, November 17th, Chloe, Joanne, and Abby gave a live 5-minute pitch asking for funding for the Switchback Gear Library. The team powered through their nerves and delivered a fantastic pitch, ultimately placing THIRD out of over a dozen organizations and winning the People’s Choice Award! A BIG thank you to all who supported us through this process, watched the pitch competition live or over zoom, and voted for us in the People’s Choice award category. The $950 prize will go towards funding a “starter camping kit” for our gear library. Shout out to all the Switchback team members that helped with this process and to our marketing team who made the most stunning PowerPoint presentation for us to use!

Apply for our Community Advisory Board!

We are firm believers that Switchback’s direction should be driven by the community. As an active member of your community, you know best what your neighbors need to access the outdoors more easily. Here at Switchback, we want to help facilitate the process of overcoming these barriers. That is why we are creating a Community Advisory Board! 

We envision that the members of this Board will play an active role in deciding Switchback’s priorities and direction. We are looking for nine community members to join our CAB to help us make the outdoors more accessible. If you (or anyone you know) are interested in joining our CAB, please fill out this application. And if you have any questions, send us an email at helloswitchback@gmail.com!

Seeking Donations

Do you have any outdoor gear you’d like to donate? Let Switchback give those items a new home! We are actively accepting any outdoor gear related to camping, hiking, boating, and outdoor sports… the list is endless! The only gear we cannot accept is climbing equipment (such as ropes and harnesses), cooking stoves, or gas canisters.

The best part is, we will come and pick up these items from you for free! All you need to do is leave the gear outside your home. If you’re interested, please fill out this form with pick-up information and preferred date. Alternatively, send us an email at helloswitchback@gmail.com if you’d rather drop off items yourself.

Living out the Switchback Mission

Here are a couple of ways you can live out the Switchback vision where experiencing the outdoors is accessible, inclusive, safe, and affordable for all people!

This holiday season as you prepare to spend time with loved ones and/or exchange gifts, consider sustainable options such as buying second-hand, gifting experiences, and supporting environmentally sustainable and ethical businesses. Keep an eye on your email because Switchback will be offering a few surprise holiday gifts that are both a thoughtful presents for someone you love, and a way to help grow our organization. 

Continue to recycle your old gear! Switchback will continue to accept gear donations throughout the next few months - contact our team to arrange donation pick-ups/drop-offs. 

Follow us on social media! @switchbackgearcollective on Instagram and Facebook to stay updated on upcoming events!

October 2022 Newsletter

Living out the Switchback Mission

Here are a couple of ways you can live out the Switchback vision where experiencing the outdoors is accessible, inclusive, safe, and affordable for all people:

• It's early voting season! Early voting has started in North Carolina, if you are registered to vote in the state you can early vote in person or via absentee ballot between October 20th and November 5th.  

• If you are not registered to vote, you can register to vote AND vote on the same day on or by November 8th aka Election Day. 

• If you want assistance making your voting plan, or previewing what is on your ballot in your state, check out these resources: Vote Save America, BallotReady, and Vote.org amongst many, many other resources!

September 2022

Live out the Switchback Mission

In the mean time, here are a couple of ways you can live out the Switchback vision where experiencing the outdoors is accessible, inclusive, safe, and affordable for all people:

• Expand your knowledge on barriers communities face in feeling safe and accessing the outdoors. We are amplifying the North Carolina Black Alliance, an organization based in Raleigh, NC that advocates for environmental justice in Black communities.

• If you're of voting age, make sure your voter registration information is up to date! Climate Change will forever be on the ballot whether it be specific bills protecting the environment or ensuring we are voting elected officials that represent our values, we must get out and vote this November 8th!

August 2022 Newsletter