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Families get out for Get Outdoors Day at Fort Vancouver

By Justin Runquist, Columbian Small Cities Reporter
Published: June 14, 2015, 12:00am
2 Photos
Grayson Pieske, left, and his father, Jordan Pieske, of Sandy, Ore., enjoy fishing from of a makeshift trout pond Saturday next to Pearson Air Museum.
Grayson Pieske, left, and his father, Jordan Pieske, of Sandy, Ore., enjoy fishing from of a makeshift trout pond Saturday next to Pearson Air Museum. The pond was set up as part of the annual celebration for National Get Outdoors Day. Photo Gallery

Droves of families gathered at Fort Vancouver National Site on Saturday to continue a lively local tradition of celebrating the great outdoors.

Saturday marked the nation’s eighth annual Get Outdoors Day. Since the event’s inception June 14, 2008, Vancouver has hosted one of the largest G.O. Day festivals in the country, with about 5,000 people attending each year.

This year, families celebrated between Pearson Air Museum and Fort Vancouver with a wide range of festivities. Parks staff led guided history tours around the fort. Energetic kids took turns scaling a rock wall, dancing, learning how to properly throw axes, shooting arrows, and fishing for trout in a makeshift pond.

State and federal parks workers and nonprofit groups lined the streets with booths to teach kids about outdoor recreation and what wild forests, refuges and parks have to offer.

City officials worked with the U.S. Forest Service, the National Park Service and the Parks Foundation of Clark County to put together the event this year. Dozens of businesses and other local organizations pitched in.

National Get Outdoors Day began as a celebration of nature and active lifestyles. Today, it’s also an excuse to unplug for a few hours and enjoy the sunshine.

The celebration is especially targeted at younger generations, encouraging children and teens to adopt healthy outdoor activities and appreciate nature.

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Columbian Small Cities Reporter