Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
where anyone who answers questions wrong gets dunked. Another ICO in San Francisco or-
ganized a nature photography workshop for kids at a housing project.
The Sierra Club San Francisco Bay chapter started the first ICO group in 1971 when it
realized that many of San Francisco's kids had never even seen Golden Gate Park, let alone
areas outside the city. Today, there's a dedicated core of volunteers in 50 cities across the Un-
ited States. They work with local schools and social service agencies, and it's not just kids in
housing projects who benefit, as volunteer Kate Mytron, founder of the ICO in New Orleans,
emphasizes: “It's so incredibly rewarding to rediscover what it feels like to see frogs for the
first time. The volunteers still talk about the good time we had.”
To be a volunteer for Sierra Club's Inner City Outings, contact your local club. A list
can be accessed at www.sierraclub.org/ico/national/websites.asp. In Atlanta, for example, the
ICO group hosts nearly 30 trips a year, monthly meetings, and an annual fundraiser. Each
volunteer must fill out an application, undergo a background check, and agree to the rules of
the individual organizations.
There is no charge to volunteer with ICO, but for insurance purposes, each volunteer is
required to join the Sierra Club, a $25 fee.
HOW TO GET IN TOUCH
Sierra Club Foundation/ICO,
85 Second Street, 2nd Floor, San Francisco, CA 94105,
415-977-5628, www.sierraclub.org/ico.
