Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative Awards $120,000 In Grants And Scholarships
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Yamaha
Motor Corp., USA, today announces the Yamaha Outdoor Access
Initiative (OAI) awarded more than $120,000 in funds and equipment
to eight grant and scholarship recipients from applications
submitted in the fourth quarter of 2017 and first quarter of 2018.
The combined funding cycle is highlighted by a wide variety of
projects supporting access to trails and riding areas for
off-highway vehicles (OHV) and outdoor enthusiasts
alike.
"We continue to promote and see growth and diversity in the Outdoor
Access Initiative, which now has a decade of supporting
responsible, sustainable access under its belt," said Steve Nessl,
Yamaha ATV /
Side-by-Side (SxS) group marketing manager. "These last two
quarters have been a great example, with projects addressing a
widerange of use from single-track trails to sand dunes and
back-country areas for the enjoyment of OHVs of all
types:motorcycles, ATVs, Side-by-Side vehicles, and
snowmobiles."
As the powersports industry's leading land access advocate
protecting the interests of those who work and play outdoors, OAI
supports off-highway vehicle riders, as well as those who rely on
land access to camp, hunt, fish, farm, and more. The latest Yamaha
OAI grant recipients are:
- The Capital Trails Vehicle Association, Helena, MT
- The Off Road Business Association
- Twin Cities Trail Riders, Jordan, MN
- Crested Butte Avalanche Center, Crested Butte, CO
- Wonders of Wildlife/National Hunting and Fishing Day Live It!
Grant Program
- Range Riders ATV Club, Nashwauk, MN
- Save the Rider's Dunes, North Bend, OR
- Voyageur Country ATV Club, Grand Rapids, MN
This latest funding also featured OAI's continuing support of
National Hunting and Fishing Day, as well as six scholarships to
university students as part of the Yamaha Agricultural
Communicators of Tomorrow (ACT) program. "We believe everyone
should be able to experience the outdoors and all of the incredible
opportunities our public lands have to offer," Nessl said. "Working
through like-minded partners like National Hunting and Fishing Day,
as well as seeding appropriate safety and land stewardship
messaging with future influencers and professional communicators
via the ACT program, helps ensure we'll all be able to enjoy the
outdoors for generations to come."
Yamaha's longtime ACT Scholarship Program was brought under the OAI
umbrella as part of the program's expanded mission to support those
who work and play outdoors. Through the Yamaha Outdoor Access
Initiative's
ACT Scholarship Program, Purdue University, Utah State University,
Oklahoma State, Texas Tech and Kansas State students were awarded a
combined $8,250 in scholarships. Recipients of this year's Yamaha
ACT scholarships receive financial assistance to attend the 2018 Ag
Media Summit, and to continue promoting and encouraging safe and
responsible use of ATV and SxS vehicles within the agriculture
community. Celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2018, the Yamaha
Outdoor Access Initiative is accepting qualified applications for
consideration of support and funding. For more information on the
Outdoor Access Initiative, or to submit a grant application, visit
www.YamahaOAI.com. Follow Yamaha Outdoors online at
Facebook.com/YamahaOutdoors, Twitter.com/YamahaOutdoors, and
Instagram.com/YamahaOutdoors. #YamahaOAI #REALizeYourAdventure
About the Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative
For more than a decade, the Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative has
led the powersports industry in guaranteeing responsible access to
our nation's land for outdoor enthusiasts. Through this program,
Yamaha has directly and indirectly supported thousands of miles of
motorized recreation trails, maintained and rehabilitated riding
and hunting areas, improved staging areas, supplied agricultural
organizations with essential OHV safety education, built bridges
over fish-bearing streams and partnered with local outdoor
enthusiast communities across the country to improve access to
public lands. Each quarter, Yamaha accepts applications from
nonprofit or tax-exempt organizations including OHV riding clubs
and associations, national, state and local public land use
agencies, outdoor enthusiast associations and land conservation
groups with an interest in protecting, improving, expanding and/or
maintaining access for safe, responsible and sustainable public
use. A committee then reviews each application and awards grants to
deserving projects. Examples of appropriate projects for grants
include, but are not limited to:
- Trail development, restoration and maintenance
- Trail signage and map production
- Staging area construction, renovation and maintenance
- Land stewardship, safety and education
Updated guidelines, an application form and information on the
Outdoor Access Initiative are available at www.YamahaOAI.com. For
specific questions about the Outdoor Access Initiative, call
Yamaha's dedicated hotline at 1-877-OHV-TRAIL (877-648-8724), email
OHVAccess@Yamaha-Motor.com or write to:
Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative
Yamaha Motor Corp., USA
1270 Chastain Road
Kennesaw, GA 30144
