Need More Outdoors provides scholarships for area youth to participate in kayaking fun with Nantahala Kids Club and other adventures.
Camp activities include rafting.
'A Day at the Barn' gives kids the chance to meet horses and go hiking.
Jessica Webb
editor@thesmokymountaintimes.com
Western North Carolina is renowned for what it offers for outdoor enthusiasts, but getting outside to tap into the fun isn’t always an option for area children. That’s where Need More Outdoors comes in.
The nonprofit was founded in 2019 in memory of Maria Noakes, a world-class whitewater kayaker who tragically died in 2018 in a boating accident. She was known for bringing the joy of paddling to others, especially youth. She was involved with Endless River Adventures kids camps and Nantahala Kids Club.
Her friends, including Juliette Jacobsen Kastorff, wanted to honor her memory and started the Need More Outdoors, which serves youth ages six and up in Swain County and the surrounding communities.
Angela Dauphinee, NMO program coordinator, explains some of what they offer, starting with paddling.
“Right now, we have outdoor education camps and outdoor adventure camps for kids,” she said. “The main ones are Nantahala Kids Club, which are in the spring and the fall, which is four Mondays and a Sunday. It’s learning to kayak at all skill levels. Over the summer, we have a bunch of beginning kayak intermediate and leadership camps.”
They also take advantage of freshwater snorkeling to learn about the environment.
“My favorite is Ecosplash Summer Camps,” Dauphinee said. “We partner with Mainspring Conservation Trust, and we have a biologist come out and meet us here at the Little Tennessee or the Cheoah and do snorkeling, learn about macro-invertebrates, and we take the kids out on the water in either duckies or rafts depending on what suits that group perfectly.”
They also help young people connect with animals at local farms and get some hiking in.
“We started a new camp this summer called A Day at the Barn. We partner with a local farmer and go hang out with the horses, go hiking,” Dauphinee said.
The biggest goal right now is to spread the word. “We’re in the process right now getting more kids involved,” she said.
They can also partner with teachers and schools for programs.
Need More Outdoors has scholarships available for students to participate with applications available on the website. To learn more, visit needmoreoutdoors.org.
The nonprofit is also looking for more volunteers, who can submit an email on the website. Volunteer opportunities are for paddlers, horticulturists, biologists and “anybody who has a passion for the outdoors.”
“For youth especially, we live in such a beautiful place, and it’s neat that Need More Outdoors and its supporters who have generously contributed to it have gotten kids outside and it’s affordable,” Dauphinee said.